Bangladesh said on Saturday that the future of its relations with India “will depend” on the Ganges Waters Treaty. The statement issued by Dhaka comes as the water-sharing agreement is about to expire.
“We want to send a clear message to the Indian government that the (New Ganga) treaty should be implemented immediately through discussions in accordance with the expectations and needs of the people of Bangladesh,” said BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.
Alamgir added that good relations with India will depend on whether the treaty is renewed or not.
The BNP spokesperson’s remarks also come days after Bangladesh approved a massive project to build a barrier on the Padma River, which is known as the Ganges in the neighboring country, in order to “negate the negative impact” of the Farakka Dam in West Bengal.
The Farakka Barrage in Bengal has been a sensitive issue for Bangladesh, with Dhaka reporting that it has caused salinity intrusion due to reduced water flows in the dry season.
However, India maintained that the Farakka Barrage was opened in 1972 to divert water into the Hooghly River to wash away sediments and maintain the Kolkata harbour.
However, this hotspot has been exacerbated by the uncertainty surrounding the renewal of the Ganges Water Treaty.
What is the Ganges Water Treaty?
The India-Bangladesh Ganges Water Sharing Treaty was signed in 1996 between Indian Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda and Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in New Delhi.
The treaty established a 30-year water-sharing arrangement and Bangladesh’s rights to the river’s waters. The treaty is scheduled to be renewed in December 2026.
The treaty also regulates water sharing between India and Bangladesh when river flows are low.
Accordingly, if the flow in the Fariq Barrage is 70,000 cubic meters or less, India and Bangladesh each get 50 percent of the water.
Another point is that if the flow is between 70,000 and 75,000 cusecs, Bangladesh gets 35,000 cusecs of water and India gets the rest.
Finally, if the flow is above 75,000 kosiks, India gets 40,000 kosiks, and Bangladesh receives the rest.
The dispute occurred after Dhaka claimed that India was extracting excess water from the barrage, leading to the drying up of rivers in Bangladesh.
