Home
+
Bangladesh will pick between proposals by India and China for the river conservation and management project, the PM says
Published : 25 Jun 2024, 02:31 PM
Bangladesh will select either China or India’s proposal for the Teesta River rejuvenation and management mega-project depending on whichever is most beneficial, says Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
However, she noted that, “If India tackles our Teesta Project, then all the problems will be resolved. Doesn’t that make things easier?”
The premier made the remarks at a press conference at the Gonobhaban on Tuesday regarding her recent two-day state visit to India.
The Teesta issue came up in several questions during the presser.
The unresolved issue was among the topics of discussion during Hasina’s trip to Delhi. During the talks, Delhi expressed interest in the Teesta Master Plan.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said at a joint press conference with his Bangladeshi counterpart on Saturday that his government had decided to open talks at the technical level on the renewal of the 1996 Ganges River water-sharing agreement. India will also send a technical team to Bangladesh soon to discuss the conservation and management of the Teesta River.
The interest from India comes as Bangladesh was set to finalise China’s financing of the Teesta Master Plan. It was suggested that a decision on the matter could come during Hasina’s visit to Beijing in July.
Regarding her discussions with Modi, Hasina said in her written statement:
"We discussed the renewal of the Ganges River water-sharing agreement and India's assistance in the project of water management and water conservation of the Teesta River in Bangladesh. But this has nothing to do with the long-standing issue of Teesta water-sharing. We received assurances that India will cooperate with our Teesta Project."
The long-awaited Teesta water-sharing agreement was to be finalised in September 2011 during a visit from India’s Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, but stalled due to opposition from West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
When Modi’s government came to power, there seemed to be new hope for the agreement, but it has yet to materialise due to Mamata’s persistent opposition.
As the agreement stalled, the Bangladesh government took up the ‘Teesta River Comprehensive Management and Restoration Project’.
Media reports said that Hasina asked for China’s support on the project during a visit to Beijing in July 2019. The BBC reported at that time that in addition to the construction of infrastructure for the management of the banks of the river, the Teesta Project would include various types of infrastructure to control floods and eliminate water shortages in summer.
Beijing submitted a formal project proposal costing around $1 billion as New Delhi expressed concerns about Dhaka giving projects to Chinese companies. The proposal was to be discussed at Hasina's upcoming visit to China.
Vinay Mohan Kwatra, India’s foreign secretary, spoke of the country’s interest in financing the Teesta Project when he visited Dhaka last month.
However, Mamata has renewed her objections on the matter.
“Such unilateral deliberations and discussions without consultation and the opinion of the state government is neither acceptable nor desirable,” she said in a letter to Modi on the Teesta water-sharing deal and the renewal of the Farakka accord.
Asked about Mamata’s objections at the Gonobhaban press conference, Hasina said:
“We have taken up the Teesta Project, dredging the Teesta River, making banks, and water conservation has been discussed for the Teesta and Ganges. Specifically, the Ganga Treaty expires in 2026. Even if it is not renewed, the agreement will remain in place as we made a 30-year deal.”
“But as the 30-year agreement is ending, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said a technical group will be formed. What Mamata Banerjee expressed is her anger that she was not consulted. She was not in Delhi, but I tried to contact her myself so I could communicate with her directly, but could not reach her. If she was there, we would have discussed it with her. At least I would have.”
“I say that no one should be left out. The technical group will come, there will be discussions, and then there will be coordination. Mamata Banerjee wrote that letter to the prime minister of her country. It is an internal matter and I have nothing to say about it. It is completely India's internal matter, there is no need for us to poke our nose in there.”
“I have a very good relationship with everyone. I have a good relationship with Mamata Banerjee, and a good relationship with India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The relations with all other parties are good too. Regardless of their differences of opinion, I have a good relationship with everyone in India.”
Discussions on the Teesta Master Plan are not new, the prime minister noted.
“India will now provide support to implement that Teesta Project and we will have a joint committee. Not only on water-sharing but rejuvenating the Teesta River itself, and irrigating the northern region to produce more crops. We will make the arrangements needed for that irrigation. That is our decision.”
