Bangladesh Says It Does Not Want Teesta Water Dispute To Hurt Ties With India

Bangladesh does not want its relations with India to deteriorate over the long-pending Teesta water-sharing issue, Water Resources Minister Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anee has said, even as Dhaka pushes ahead with a proposed Teesta river management project with Chinese support.

‘We Never Want Friendly Relations To Deteriorate’

Speaking at a seminar in Dhaka, Anee urged India to consider Bangladesh's interests alongside its own and described New Delhi as a "friendly country".

“The neighbouring country is a friendly country. They have to think that while they have their interests, we also have ours. A friend should protect the interests of a friend,” Anee said, according to TBS News.

The minister's remarks come amid renewed efforts by Bangladesh to address the long-standing dispute over the Teesta, a river that is vital to agriculture and livelihoods in northern Bangladesh.

Bangladesh Pushes Teesta Restoration Project With China

Dhaka has been pursuing a proposed Teesta River Comprehensive Management and Restoration Project with Chinese support.

The project aims to tackle recurring flooding, river erosion and dry-season water shortages across northern Bangladesh.

Anee said the government had conducted several seminars and consultations since the February election to gather expert opinions on the proposed project. A detailed study based on those recommendations would help determine the government's next steps, he said.

Calling the project a major challenge, the minister said residents of five to six northern districts had high expectations after years of dealing with river erosion and related problems.

“If we fail to implement it, the damage and problems faced by families in those areas will continue to increase. We have to overcome this challenge anyhow,” he said.

Dhaka Says Teesta Treaty Is ‘Urgently Needed’

Anee said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman was regularly discussing the proposed project, while departmental and inter-ministerial meetings were reviewing its progress.

The minister also said a treaty was "urgently needed", adding that Bangladesh would proceed towards implementing the project regardless of whether it was ultimately described as a Teesta treaty or a master plan.

During his official visit to Beijing in June, Rahman held talks with Chinese leaders and secured a commitment from China to expedite a technical feasibility study for the Teesta restoration project.

Why Teesta Remains A Sensitive India-Bangladesh Issue

The Teesta originates in the Himalayas, flows through Sikkim and West Bengal and enters Bangladesh before joining the Jamuna, the Bangladeshi name for the Brahmaputra.

The river is important to northern Bangladesh for agriculture and livelihoods, while its waters are also significant for irrigation and power generation in West Bengal.

India and Bangladesh have been discussing the sharing of Teesta waters since the 1980s. An interim arrangement reached in 1983 allocated 39 per cent of the water to India and 36 per cent to Bangladesh, leaving the remaining 25 per cent unallocated.

A draft interim agreement was finalised in 2011, but it could not be signed after opposition from the then Trinamool Congress government in West Bengal over concerns about water availability in the state.

Chinese Role Adds Strategic Dimension

China's proposed involvement in the Teesta project has added a strategic dimension to the long-running dispute.

Northern Bangladesh is located close to the Siliguri Corridor, India's narrow land link connecting the Northeast with the rest of the country.

The proposed project has therefore attracted attention beyond water management, given its location and China's growing engagement with Bangladesh.

India has maintained that the Teesta issue should be addressed through discussions involving all relevant stakeholders, including West Bengal.

External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in July that India's views on the proposed Teesta project had already been conveyed to Bangladesh and that New Delhi would consider "all related developments" as part of its overall approach to the issue.

Dhaka Seeks Water Deal Without Damaging India Ties

Anee's latest remarks indicate that Bangladesh is seeking progress on the Teesta while stressing that the dispute should not come at the expense of its relationship with India.

With Dhaka examining Chinese-backed restoration plans and New Delhi continuing to emphasise consultation with all stakeholders, the decades-old Teesta dispute remains a key test for India-Bangladesh water cooperation.