Bangladesh Seeks Teesta Deal, Says Ties With India Must Not Suffer

Bangladesh does not want its friendly relations with India to deteriorate over the long-pending Teesta water-sharing agreement, Water Resources Minister Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anee said, urging New Delhi to consider Dhaka’s interests alongside its own.

Speaking at a seminar on sustainable management of the Teesta River, Anee said Bangladesh respected India as a neighbouring and friendly country but expected reciprocal consideration of its water needs. He said a friend should protect the interests of a friend and stressed that Dhaka wanted to resolve the issue without damaging bilateral ties.

The remarks come amid renewed efforts by Bangladesh to advance the Teesta River Comprehensive Management and Restoration Project, with China offering support for technical studies. The project aims to address recurring floods, river erosion and dry-season water shortages affecting northern Bangladesh.

Anee said the government had held several seminars and consultations since the February election to gather expert opinions. A detailed study based on these recommendations would help determine the next steps, he said, adding that people in five to six northern districts had high expectations from the project.

The Teesta originates in the Himalayas, flows through Sikkim and West Bengal and enters Bangladesh before joining the Jamuna. Its waters are crucial for agriculture in northern Bangladesh, while West Bengal depends on the river for irrigation and power generation.

India and Bangladesh have negotiated Teesta water sharing since the 1980s. A draft interim agreement reached in 2011 could not be signed after opposition from West Bengal over concerns about water availability.

Bangladesh’s growing engagement with China has added a strategic dimension to the dispute, particularly because northern Bangladesh lies close to India’s sensitive Siliguri Corridor.

India has maintained that the Teesta issue must be addressed through discussions involving all relevant stakeholders, including West Bengal. The dispute is separate from the 1996 Ganges Water Sharing Treaty, which is due to expire in December 2026.