Bangladesh has reconstituted its Joint Rivers Commission committee as uncertainty grows over renewing the 1996 Ganges Treaty, with experts warning delays could threaten agriculture, ecology and bilateral relations.
The Ministry of Water Resources has reconstituted the Bangladesh-side committee of the Joint Rivers Commission (JRC), a key institutional body responsible for managing transboundary river issues. The committee was formally restructured on January 1 and its first meeting under the new structure was held on Monday (Jan 5) at Water Bhaban on Green Road, chaired by Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Adviser to the Ministry of Water Resources.
Under the new setup, the Adviser to the Ministry of Water Resources serves as chair of the Bangladesh-side JRC, while the Senior Secretary of the ministry acts as adviser.
Committee members include Md Anwar Kadir, Engineer Member of the JRC; Dr Md Ataur Rahman, Professor of Water Resources Engineering at BUET; Dr Mahfuzul Haque, former secretary and water expert; Mehdi Hasan, former ambassador; and the Director General of the South Asia Wing of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
During the meeting, Engineer Member Md Anwar Kadir briefed participants on ongoing activities and future plans, highlighting coordination and technical preparedness for effective transboundary river management.
The reconstitution comes as Bangladesh and India enter discussions to renew the Ganges Water-Sharing Treaty, set to expire in December 2026, marking 30 years since its signing. Signed on December 12, 1996, the 30-year treaty was designed to ensure equitable sharing of Ganges water at the Farakka Barrage during the critical dry months. With just one season remaining under the agreement, no joint mechanism has yet been formed to negotiate its renewal or replacement, raising concern among policymakers and water experts.
Despite repeated meetings, little tangible progress has been achieved. The 85th to 88th meetings of the Joint Committee on Sharing of the Ganga were held between November 2024 and September 2025 in Dhaka, Kolkata and New Delhi, without producing concrete steps toward renewal. Foreign ministry sources say the issue was discussed between the two prime ministers in 2024, with a proposal to form a review committee, but the body has yet to be constituted.
An expert-level meeting in Kolkata on March 6 last year agreed in principle to extend the treaty, but no further steps were taken to implement the decision.
The uncertainty comes against a complex political backdrop in Dhaka, following the fall of the Awami League government and the formation of an interim administration led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus. Despite strained relations, water-related dialogue between the neighbours continues.
Diplomatic sources suggest that the interim government is unlikely to take major steps on renewing the treaty ahead of the national parliamentary elections in February. Analysts note that water-sharing agreements between the two countries have grown into complex political issues, intertwined with bilateral relations, regional geopolitics and domestic politics.
JRC Director Mohammad Abu Sayeed told that the agreement expires in December 2026, but no formal renewal process has started yet. He added that given its importance and the time required for negotiations, it is unlikely to be concluded before the elections.
Environmental and water experts warn that delays may create diplomatic disadvantages. Dr Ainun Nishat, Emeritus Professor and founder of the Institute of Sustainable Development, said that preparations for renewing the treaty should have begun much earlier. He added that the outcome will largely depend on the political relationship between the two countries. If relations remain positive, renewal may not take long even if discussions start late.
Experts emphasize that treaty renewal is critical not only for water allocation but also for agriculture, ecology, biodiversity and river erosion control. Reduced dry-season flow in the Ganges could intensify irrigation shortages, lower groundwater levels and disrupt river flow in areas such as Chapainawabganj, Rajshahi, Pabna and Kushtia.
The Farakka Barrage, located in India’s West Bengal state about 18 km upstream of Chapainawabganj, is central to the treaty. Under the 1996 agreement, during the dry season, Bangladesh is entitled to up to 35,000 cusecs of water per 10-day period, while India may receive up to 40,000 cusecs depending on river flow.
Bangladesh and India share 54 transboundary rivers, but the Ganges remains the only one governed by a formal water-sharing treaty. A long-discussed agreement on the Teesta River remains stalled, largely due to objections from India’s West Bengal state.
Bangladesh recently became the 56th party to the UN Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses, committing to principles of equitable and reasonable use, transparency and disaster preparedness. Adviser Rizwana Hasan has emphasized that both upper- and lower-riparian countries must adhere to international norms of water justice.
Analysts caution that prolonged delays in renewing the treaty could have long-term implications for water security and Bangladesh-India relations. Experts stress that the next government should prioritize the issue immediately after assuming office to ensure timely renewal and safeguard the country’s agricultural and ecological interests.
Sohanur Rahman, Executive Coordinator of YouthNet Global, noted that in regions like the Barind tract, water scarcity is already affecting livelihoods and adaptation is becoming critical. He emphasized that strategic financing for water management and adaptation projects is urgently needed to prepare communities for future dry-season stress.
