Bangladesh’s push to renew the Ganges treaty comes amid climate pressures, Bihar’s concerns and fresh Chinese involvement in evaluating the Teesta project.
Dhaka prepares for talks before the December deadline, while Bihar’s concerns and the China-involved Teesta evaluation process add new complexity to South Asian river diplomacy.
Bangladesh has formally begun preparations for renewing its nearly three-decade-old Ganges water-sharing arrangement with India as the treaty governing dry-season flows at the Farakka Barrage approaches expiry in December.
Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman told Parliament on Thursday that Dhaka has formed a high-level expert team and sent a formal proposal to New Delhi seeking discussions on a new bilateral agreement. He said Bangladesh is currently awaiting India’s response.
“Bangladesh’s position on obtaining a fair share of water from common rivers is clear and firm,” Rahman said, adding that the government would continue protecting the country’s water rights through diplomatic engagement.
The move comes as water security is becoming an increasingly important issue across South Asia, where changing rainfall patterns, glacial changes and rising demand are placing additional pressure on shared river systems.
A key bilateral issue
The Ganges Water Sharing Treaty, signed on December 12, 1996, is the only long-term water-sharing agreement between Bangladesh and India, despite the two countries sharing 54 common rivers.
The treaty sets out the distribution of dry-season water flows at India’s Farakka Barrage between January and May, a critical period for agriculture, drinking water supplies and ecosystems in downstream Bangladesh.
Under the existing formula, when the flow at Farakka is 70,000 cusecs or below, India and Bangladesh receive equal shares. When the flow remains between 70,000 and 75,000 cusecs, Bangladesh receives 35,000 cusecs while India receives the remaining amount. If the flow exceeds 75,000 cusecs, India receives 40,000 cusecs and Bangladesh receives the balance.
With the treaty nearing its expiry, both countries face the challenge of shaping a future arrangement amid changing rainfall patterns, glacial changes and increasing climate-related extremes across the Himalayan river basins.
Bangladesh argues that predictable river flows are increasingly vital as climate change intensifies droughts, floods and river erosion. Across the country, millions of farmers, fishers and river-dependent communities face direct consequences from changes in seasonal water availability, flooding and erosion.
Domestic pressure from Bihar
The renewal process has also gained attention within India, where political leaders from Bihar have raised concerns over the existing arrangement.
Recently, Bihar leaders met Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and highlighted concerns over irrigation, drinking water supplies, industrial needs and river sedimentation linked to the Farakka system.
Bihar representatives have argued that any future agreement should consider population growth and rising water demand through 2050. They have also linked sediment accumulation around the barrage to worsening flood risks in upstream areas.
The Bihar leaders said they received assurances that their concerns would be considered during discussions on the treaty’s future, adding a domestic political dimension to an already sensitive bilateral negotiation.
Teesta project moves forward with China
Meanwhile, Bangladesh is advancing work on the long-discussed Teesta River Comprehensive Management and Restoration Project, with China involved in the technical evaluation process.
Rahman said a technical evaluation with China has started and that further decisions will be taken after the assessment is completed.
The Teesta project aims to improve river management, reduce flood risks and strengthen climate resilience in one of Bangladesh’s most vulnerable river basins. Officials have said preserving the river’s natural flow and maintaining environmental balance will remain central to the initiative.
The Teesta water-sharing issue has remained unresolved for more than a decade due to objections from India’s West Bengal state, making it one of the most sensitive issues in Dhaka-New Delhi relations.
The involvement of China in the technical evaluation is expected to remain a closely watched development in regional diplomacy.
The broader regional picture
Water diplomacy is emerging as one of South Asia’s defining challenges as climate change, glacial changes, population growth and competing demands place increasing pressure on rivers that cross national borders.
Bangladesh, located downstream of major Himalayan river systems, has repeatedly called for cooperative, climate-resilient management of shared rivers and equitable access to water resources.
With the Ganges treaty renewal, the unresolved Teesta issue and growing climate pressures converging, water security is emerging as a defining challenge for Bangladesh-India relations and wider South Asian cooperation.
