Bangladesh must adopt a stronger stance while presenting its demands to India seeking fair share of water from joint rivers, but dependency on the neighbouring country could weaken Bangladesh’s bargaining strength, said experts at a webinar on Sunday.
They recommended seeking assistance from any third party or international organisation to ensure a fair share of water from joint rivers.
Experts, speaking at an event titled “Bangladesh-India water sharing: Experience, Concern and Hope” organised by the Forum for Bangladesh Studies (FBS), also expressed deep concerns over the India initiative of an inter-river connectivity project on the Brahmaputra upstream.
Water management expert and Brac University Professor Emeritus Ainun Nishat said, “We are dependent on India for a number of reasons. We import onions and green chillies from the neighbouring country. Such dependencies may weaken our bargaining strength.”
Discussing Bangladesh’s weakness in the area, the expert said, “Have we reviewed whether India is complying with the Ganges treaty? Have we been able to convey to India what we need?”
Experts believe that third parties can be involved if the joint river water sharing is not resolved through bilateral discussion.
Professor of Geology and Environmental Sciences at the Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania (USA) Md Khalequzzaman said, “For water sharing of rivers, Bangladesh can propose negotiations to India along with China and Nepal.
“If India disagrees with this move, then we could take help from regional or international organisations.”
Waterkeepers Bangladesh Coordinator Sharif Jamil said, “Bangladesh has to present its claim with a strong position, either bilaterally or with the help of international organisations. For this reason, everyone should unite and create political pressure on the government.”
Ainun Nishat however says the government will decide whether Bangladesh will resolve the issues through bilateral discussions with India, or seek support from international organisations. “We have no say here,” he said.
At the event, speakers said Bangladesh has been able to sign an agreement with India only on the Ganges, against the 54 joint rivers. The agreement will expire in 2026, so Bangladesh should begin the initiative to review this treaty as soon as possible.
Dhaka University Law Department Professor Md Nazrul Islam, commonly known as Asif Nazrul, said, “Information on the Joint River Commission indicates that a manipulation is going on regarding the supply of Ganges water.
“This commission is supposed to hold 4 meetings every year, but only 3 meetings have been held in the last 16 years.”
He added, “The Ganges treaty will expire in 2026. Therefore, it is necessary to take initiative to renew this agreement immediately. While the agreement has many downsides, it is better than having no agreement at all.”
In the discussion, speakers recommended making public the information about how much water Bangladesh is getting according to the Ganges Agreement.
Ali Riaz, Distinguished Professor at Illinois State University, presided over the event, while journalist Monir Haidar moderated the programme.
