Bangladesh wants India to be a 'stakeholder' in Ganges barrage, says state minister Nazrul

Bangladesh wants India to be a 'stakeholder' in the proposed Ganges barrage project, State Minister for Water Resources Nazrul Islam says.

Speaking to bdnews24.com on the sidelines of a trans-regional conference at the Indian state of Mizoram, Islam said two Chinese companies are keen to wholly finance the $4 billion project and even Japan is willing to fund at least $2 billion.

"But because the Ganges flows into Bangladesh from India, we take a long term view of the project and our prime minister is keen to get India into it," he said.

The conference was organised by the Kolkata-based think tank CENERS-K in collaboration with the Mizoram University.

Islam delivered the keynote address at the conference in Aizawl, the Mizoram capital.

He told bdnews24.com an Indian team from its water resources ministry will soon visit Dhaka to hold discussions on the Ganges barrage project.

"The issue was raised during Indian PM Narendra Modi's visit to Dhaka last year. He showed much interest and Indian officials later asked for the project details which we have provided," Islam said.

The minister said finance was not a problem for the project.

"Two Chinese companies have offered full finance while the Japanese have said they can put in half the project cost and we can manage the rest, but it makes long term sense to have India involved because the Ganges flow into Bangladesh from India," Islam said.

State Minister Nazrul Islam (seated second from left) besides India's junior Foreign Minister VK Singh and Mizoram Chief Minister Lalthanhawla. Photo: DIPR, Mizoram

The Ganges barrage will be a 165-kilometre long reservoir running from Rajbarhi to Chapainawabganj districts, with a depth of 12.5 metres.

It will hold a phenomenal 2.9 billion cubic litres and cost Tk 314 billion (approximately $4 billion).

The barrage will retain the water of the trans-boundary river Ganga, known as the Padma in Bangladesh, during the monsoon and feed small rivers during the lean season.

This will help Bangladesh flush the small rivers and reduce salinity, a major threat to public health and agriculture in the country's southwest.

Islam sought to allay fears of flooding on the Indian side of Ganges.

"The project has provided for allocations for upgrading and raising embankments on the Indian side to avoid any flooding," he said.

But the minister felt it might not be needed because the embankments on the Indian side were 'already quite high and well done up.'