11 Members Team in India From Bangladesh: Renewal of Ganga-Water treaty
- Bangladesh India International Affairs South Asia
Shreya Naskar- 0
- 5 minutes read
A delegation of 11 members from Bangladesh has arrived in India to discuss the renewal of the Ganga Water Treaty, which is set to expire in 2026. The treaty, originally signed in 1996 by then-Indian Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda and his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina, governs the sharing of Ganga river water between the two neighbouring nations. The Bangladeshi team, led by Muhammad Abul Hossain, a member of the India-Bangladesh Joint River Commission (JRC), will be stationed at Farakka in West Bengal—a key joint observation site of the Ganga—until March 5, 2025. The delegation is then scheduled to travel to Kolkata for further deliberations during a formal meeting of the India-Bangladesh Joint Commission on River Water. This marks the first technical meeting between the two countries’ water-sharing experts since Sheikh Hasina, the legal Prime Minister of Bangladesh, fled the country amid political turmoil.
During Sheikh Hasina’s last official visit to India in June 2024, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi reaffirmed both nations’ commitment to the treaty’s renewal. As part of this process, a joint commission was established to oversee negotiations and technical discussions.
However, the treaty’s renewal has sparked concerns within West Bengal, a key stakeholder in the agreement. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee claimed that her government was not consulted on the matter. Indian officials, however, clarified that an internal committee was formed under the Jal Shakti Ministry in July
2023, which included representatives from both Bihar and West Bengal—the two Indian states through which the Ganga flows before entering Bangladesh. India and Bangladesh share 54 rivers, and water-sharing agreements are crucial in maintaining diplomatic stability. The Ganga Water Treaty is one of the most significant agreements between the two nations, providing a mechanism for equitable water distribution. Apart from this treaty, multiple river-sharing agreements exist between India and Bangladesh, ensuring sustainable water management and dispute resolution mechanisms. Following the current delegation’s visit, another technical expert team is expected to arrive later this week for further discussions under a subgroup dedicated to the Ganga Water Treaty. This visit also coincides with recent conversations between India’s Border Security Force (BSF) and its Bangladeshi counterpart, the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), highlighting the broader scope of India-Bangladesh cooperation beyond water-sharing. As India and Bangladesh move toward renewing the Ganga Water Treaty, technical discussions and diplomatic negotiations will play a key role in ensuring a fair and sustainable agreement. With water security being a sensitive issue for both countries, the Joint River Commission’s meetings will be closely watched for their outcomes, particularly in the context of regional political shifts and ecological concerns.
