The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) on Saturday demanded that India negotiate a new water-sharing pact that protects Bangladesh’s interests and ensures long-term water security.
The current Indo-Bangladesh Ganges Water Sharing Agreement, signed in 1996 during the tenure of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, is scheduled to expire in December this year.
BNP Demands New Water Sharing Pact
Bangladesh Rural Development Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said the existing arrangements should continue temporarily until both countries finalize a new agreement.
However, he stressed that future agreements should not include restrictive timelines and must ensure uninterrupted water access for Bangladesh.
In Bangladesh, the Ganges River is popularly known as the Padma River and remains crucial for agriculture, drinking water supply and environmental stability.
Officials in Bangladesh claim that nearly one-third of the country’s population depends directly or indirectly on the river for livelihood and farming activities.
Bangladesh has repeatedly alleged that reduced water flow from India’s Farakka Barrage during dry seasons has affected river systems, increased salinity intrusion and damaged agricultural productivity in several regions.
India, however, has consistently maintained that the Farakka Barrage was constructed primarily to protect and maintain navigability at the Kolkata Port.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh has also approved a major mega barrage project on the Padma River to address water management challenges.
According to reports, a committee headed by Prime Minister Tariq Rahman has targeted completion of the project by 2033.
Bangladesh has reportedly decided to move ahead with the project independently without seeking consultations with India.
The latest statements are being viewed as a significant development in India-Bangladesh diplomatic relations ahead of the expiry of the current water-sharing treaty later this year.
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