2 weeks ago
Bangladesh Seeks Guarantee Clause as Ganges Treaty Nears Expiry
Bangladesh and India share water from the Ganges River.
Their agreement about sharing water was signed in 1996 and will expire in December.
Bangladesh wants a new agreement with a guarantee clause.
This would promise Bangladesh a minimum amount of water during dry seasons or low river levels.
Bangladesh also wants better information sharing and more attention to river health and salinity.
Bangladesh says the Farakka Barrage can reduce water flowing downstream.
India says Farakka is a diversion structure and that some water continues toward Bangladesh.
India also says water-flow information is regularly shared.
The two countries have not yet begun formal talks to renew the treaty.
Bangladesh will seek a guarantee clause in a renewed Ganges Water Treaty with India.
The 1996 treaty governing dry-season water sharing is due to expire in December.
Dhaka also wants right-to-information provisions and stronger environmental protections in a new agreement.
Bangladesh criticises the Farakka Barrage, while India says it diverts about 40,000 cusecs and shares flow data.
India’s parliamentary committee urged talks to begin, but formal renewal discussions had not started as of February.
- Who
- Bangladesh, represented by Water Resources Minister Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anee, and India are involved.
- What
- Bangladesh wants a renewed Ganges Water Treaty containing a minimum-water guarantee and other provisions.
- Where
- The remarks were made at a seminar in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
- When
- Anee made the remarks on Tuesday; the 1996 treaty is due to expire in December.
- Why
- Bangladesh says the current agreement does not reliably ensure enough dry-season water and has inadequate environmental provisions.
Bangladesh’s concerns
India’s position
Minimum water guarantee
Bangladesh’s concerns
Bangladesh wants a guarantee clause ensuring a minimum water supply during dry seasons or unexpectedly low river levels.
India’s position
India has not agreed to the requested clause, and formal renewal discussions had not yet begun according to the reports.
Farakka Barrage
Bangladesh’s concerns
Bangladesh criticises Farakka over concerns that it reduces downstream dry-season flows; Anee said many Bangladeshis view it as a “death trap.”
India’s position
India says Farakka is a diversion structure rather than a dam, channels about 40,000 cusecs into a canal, and allows the remaining flow to continue downstream.
Basis for a renewed treaty
Bangladesh’s concerns
Bangladesh says the existing allocation formula relies on older hydrological conditions and wants stronger environmental protections.
India’s position
An Indian parliamentary committee recommended using updated hydrological data, climate projections and the concerns of West Bengal and Bihar in negotiations.
Key facts
- Current treaty
- The India-Bangladesh Ganges Water Treaty was signed in 1996 and governs dry-season water sharing.
- Expiration
- The treaty is due to expire in December.
- Guarantee clause
- Bangladesh wants to restore a provision included in the 1977 Ganges treaty but omitted from the 1996 pact.
- Additional requests
- Dhaka seeks a right-to-information provision and broader consideration of upstream withdrawals, river health, salinity and ecological flows.
- Farakka Barrage
- India says the structure channels about 40,000 cusecs of Ganges water into the Farakka canal while the remaining flow continues downstream.
- Shared rivers
- Bangladesh and India share 54 major rivers, including the Ganges.
- Negotiation status
- India told Parliament in February that formal renewal discussions with Bangladesh had not begun.
Quotes
Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anee
Bangladesh Water Resources Minister
“Bangladesh remains committed to securing a new pact and expressed hope that Prime Minister Tarique Rahman would raise the issue strongly at the United Nations next month.”
firstpost.com
“"We must sign a treaty. Without a treaty, we have no way forward. This is our right."”
theprint.in
telegraphindia.com
deccanchronicle.com
Anee
Bangladesh Water Resources Minister
“We must sign a treaty. Without a treaty, we have no way forward. This is our right.”
firstpost.com
Sources
Bangladesh to seek ‘guarantee clause’ in renewed Ganges water treaty with India
Bangladesh says it wants guarantee clause in Ganges Water Treaty with India - Telegraph India
India-Bangladesh Ganga treaty expires in December. Dhaka govt eyes ‘guarantee’ clause in new pact
Bangladesh Seeks Guarantee Clause in Ganges Treaty With India
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