Bangladesh to push for restarting dialogue with India on Teesta water sharing treaty

Dhaka: Bangladesh's interim government wants to restart with India the dialogue on the Teesta water sharing treaty, adviser on water resources Syeda Rizwana Hasan has said, asserting that upper-riparian and lower-riparian countries should adhere to international principles on the distribution of water.

Speaking to PTI in Dhaka, Hasan expressed confidence that the Teesta treaty and other water-sharing agreements with India would be resolved amicably through dialogue but suggested that Bangladesh might consider international legal documents and principles if an agreement cannot be reached.

“I have discussed the issue of Teesta water sharing with all relevant stakeholders (in Bangladesh). We have discussed that we need to restart the process and dialogue regarding the Teesta treaty. We also have to work on the Ganges treaty, which is coming to an end in two years,” she told PTI in an interview on Sunday.

“Both sides agreed, and a draft of the Teesta water-sharing agreement was prepared, but the agreement was not signed due to the opposition of the West Bengal Chief Minister. The fact remains that we have not been able to finalise the agreement. So, we will start from that point with the draft of the agreement and urge India to come forward and restart the dialogue process,” she said.

India and Bangladesh were set to ink a deal on Teesta water sharing during then-Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's Dhaka visit in 2011, but West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee declined to endorse it, citing scarcity of water in her state.

“We would try to find an amicable solution. As this is an international water issue, it also concerns other countries' consideration of legal entitlement. So, how much water is available and whether it is sufficient is unclear to us. Even if very minimal water is available, the flow must continue to Bangladesh due to international sharing norms,” she said.

Hasan noted that the issue of international water sharing can be better handled if both upper-riparian and lower-riparian countries adhere to certain international legal principles.

“Bangladesh may consider endorsing international legal principles and documents regarding water sharing. That is what I mean when I say we might engage internationally,” the renowned environmentalist of Bangladesh said.

The 56-year-old adviser to Bangladesh’s Department of Water, Forest, Environment, and Climate Change said the interim government has not yet discussed taking the issue of water sharing with India to the international forum.

“I don’t think we have discussed that yet. I think the first step for Bangladesh will be to address it with India and Nepal. We haven’t discussed taking this matter to any other country at this stage,” she said, asserting that the “issue can be resolved amicably with India.” When asked about the erstwhile Awami League regime’s failure to seal the Teesta deal with India, Hasan said, “It did not work all these years because of the political context that Bangladesh had.” “Now that the political context of Bangladesh has changed, and some actors have changed, arguments may also shift. So, we will first try to resolve it bilaterally, and then we will consider taking it to an international level,” she said.

Bangladesh is crisscrossed by more than 200 rivers, 54 of which are transboundary rivers with upper riparian India, across four major basins. Hasan wondered why both countries, which share so many rivers, have water agreements on only eight rivers.

Speaking about Indo-Bangla relations in the context of the water-sharing treaty between both countries, Hasan said the people of Bangladesh want the treaties to be concluded as soon as possible.

“I think it is important in any relationship to demonstrate friendship. The friendship must be demonstrated. When there was a suffocating situation in Bangladesh, as people were not allowed to vote for years, there was a feeling that India favoured only one political party. With these floods in Bangladesh, the people want this water-sharing treaty to be expedited and early warning mechanisms to protect lives from floods,” she said.

Speaking about the floods in Bangladesh, Hasan said there is a need for joint efforts on early warning mechanisms.

“Bangladesh and India share 54 rivers. The fact remains that the two countries have been able to conclude water-sharing agreements for only eight rivers. So, the region of Bangladesh affected by flash floods is not covered by prior information agreements,” she said.

The Ramon Magsaysay awardee said that while water-sharing agreements can be complex and challenging for upper and lower riparian countries, “this early warning is not that complicated. It is more of a humanitarian ground,” emphasising the importance of simply sharing information.

She noted that the crisis presented “Bangladesh with a chance to address the issue with India and emphasised that both nations can learn from the situation and should initiate dialogue on river water management,” especially as climate change is likely to increase such disasters.

Hasan also said the interim government “has not taken any decision yet” regarding the extradition of former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina from India, but the Nobel Laureate Md Yunus-led interim government is committed to ensuring justice for the people of Bangladesh.

“The interim government hasn’t really made any decision on it. However, the interim government is committed to ensuring justice for all the atrocities committed against the people of Bangladesh (by the Sheikh Hasina regime). I am sure the person who left the country at that time will be one of the prime accused,” she said.

“In that case, if justice requires us to make any decision on her extradition, we have to sit and decide together. Once a decision is made, you will all be informed,” she added.

After unprecedented anti-government protests that peaked on August 5, Sheikh Hasina resigned as prime minister and fled to India. Hasina's presence in India for more than three weeks has given rise to speculation in Bangladesh.