New Delhi: Bangladesh’s ruling BNP party has given a big statement regarding the Ganga water agreement with India. The party has said that relations between India and Bangladesh will depend on the new Ganga water sharing agreement. BNP has demanded to start talks with India soon. The Ganga water sharing agreement between India and Bangladesh was signed in 1996, which is scheduled to expire in December 2026.
BNP General Secretary Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said that a new agreement should be made soon according to the needs and expectations of the people of Bangladesh. He said that good relations with India will largely depend on the new Ganga Agreement or Farakka Agreement. Alamgir said that there is increasing concern among people about the future of the existing 30-year-old agreement. This agreement was signed during the government of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Alamgir said that until a new agreement is reached, the old agreement should continue. He also suggested that in future, the water sharing agreement between the two countries should not have a fixed time limit. After Ganga river enters Bangladesh it is called Padma river. Bangladesh says that about one-third of the country’s population depends on this river. This river is considered very important for agriculture, drinking water and environment.
This statement of BNP has come at a time when the Bangladesh government has approved a big barrage project on the Padma River. The government says that this project will help in reducing the impact of the Farakka Barrage built in West Bengal, India. This project is expected to be completed by 2033. Bangladesh Water Resources Minister Shahiduddin Chaudhary Ani said that Padma Barrage is a matter of Bangladesh’s interest and there is no need for discussion with India. However, he said that talks are going on with India regarding the Ganga water agreement.
This project was approved in a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Tariq Rahman. Water expert Ainun Nishat said that the Padma Barrage project will be successful only if the Ganga Water Treaty continues. Some experts have warned that the new barrage could cause problems like increase in silt and rising river level in Bangladesh.
India’s Farakka Barrage is 2,240 meters long. It was built to keep Kolkata Port running. Bangladesh has long been alleging that due to Farakka Barrage, less water is available during the dry season, which affects agriculture and the environment. At the same time, India says that both the countries have been solving the issue of water sharing through negotiations and agreements.
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