India, Bangladesh sign water-sharing deal on common river
India and Bangladesh have signed a water-sharing agreement from the common border river Kushiyara even as a long pending pact on the Teesta River, a major transboundary river, remains to be inked.
The two countries have also signed six other pacts, including ones on space technology, scientific collaboration and on railways during the four-day visit of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to India.
A memorandum of understaning (MoU) signed between the Union Jal Shakti Ministry and Bangladesh’s Ministry of Water Resources, Government of Bangladesh would allow for withdrawal of Water by the two countries from the common border river.
The MoU is reportedly the first such arrangement between the two countries since 1996 and is expected to benefit parts of Assam in India and Sylhet region in Bangladesh.
However, despite Dhaka pushing New Delhi for years, a pact on water sharing of the Teesta River has remained elusive.
“There are 54 rivers that pass through the Indo-Bangladesh border, and have been linked to the livelihood of the people of the two countries for centuries. These rivers, folk tales about them, folk songs, have also been witness to our shared cultural heritage. Today, we have signed an important agreement on sharing water of the Kushiyara river. This will benefit Southern Assam in India and Sylhet region in Bangladesh”, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a press statement.
The Prime Minister said the two countries have also had fruitful conversation on enhancing cooperation in relation to flood mitigation. “India has been sharing flood-related data with Bangladesh on a real-time basis and we have also extended the period of data sharing”, Modi said.
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said Dhaka hopes that all bilateral outstanding issues, including the Teesta water sharing treaty, would be concluded at an early date.
