End stalemate to Teesta water sharing agreement
Many fear it shows a visible crack in confidence level of the Indian government on how to continue ignoring Bangladesh’s legitimate share of water from the common river at a time it has apparently no interest to solve the crisis. Earlier report said the JRC meeting did not take place at least over the last six years instead of twice annually. We would like to say that the relation between India and Bangladesh government is at its peak now at political level, but such relation that unfortunately deny meaningful people to people relation may not bring about any good at the end.
It is quite ironic that even during the full rainy season Bangladesh feels uncertainty of water supply in the next dry season and this is why our Minister made the plea for the meeting but it passed unheeded. We must say Bangladesh has made all major concessions to India like connectivity to northeast and sacrificing other national interest. But as time passes on it appears we are receiving nothing except bullets in common borders. We must say such abhorrent attitude is not supportive to long-term interest of both the countries and it must see change in words and deeds.
The Teesta water level drastically falls in Bangladesh from January to May each year due to India’s unilateral withdrawal of water. Since time immemorial, farmers in the northern districts of Bangladesh depended on Teesta waters to irrigate their crop fields during the dry season. But India’s unilateral withdrawal of water is now adversely affecting the livelihoods of millions and the ecology in northern districts. Teesta riverbeds turn sand dunes in dry season while discussion on water sharing is on the table since 1954. There are many who believe that such sidetracking to resolve the basic issues under different pretext amounts to betrayal and true friends can’t resort to such duplicity. It may flare up anti-Indian sentiment in the border and affected districts and it is no secret it already exists based on such misgivings.
In fact India missed the signing of the Teesta Water Sharing Agreement in 2011 during Indian Premier Manmohan Singh’s visit to Dhaka. Again the opportunity was lost during Narendra Modi’s visit to Dhaka last year. Meanwhile the JRC meeting was postponed at the last minute in 2013. Question now arises how Bangladesh can repose faith in India to build a common future.
