Dhaka:Water Resources Minister Md Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anee announced in Parliament that the government is actively working to secure agreements that would ensure Bangladesh's fair share of water from the Ganges, the Teesta, and other transboundary rivers.
According to United News of Bangladesh, Anee stated that there is currently no agreement in place for the distribution of the Teesta River's water. The government is focusing on establishing agreements for fair water sharing from both the Ganges and Teesta rivers. This statement was part of a prepared response to a question from independent lawmaker Sk. Mozibur Rahman Iqbal.
In Anee's absence, State Minister for Water Resources Forhad Hossain Azad addressed starred questions in the House. The session, presided over by Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad, Bir Bikram, commenced at 420 pm.
In response to another question from the same lawmaker, the Water Resources Minister highlighted that the current Ganga Water Sharing Agreement, signed in 1996 between Bangladesh and India, is set to expire in December 2026. A high-level technical committee has been formed to negotiate a new agreement, focusing on safeguarding Bangladesh's interests.
Under the existing agreement, the division of Ganges water received at Farakka during the dry season (January-May) has been in place from 1997 to 2026. The agreement specifies that if the water flow at Farakka point is 75,000 cusecs or more, India receives 40,000 cusecs, with the remainder going to Bangladesh. For flows between 70,000 and 75,000 cusecs, Bangladesh receives 35,000 cusecs, and the rest goes to India. If the flow is less than 70,000 cusecs, a 50-50 division applies, except for specific ten-day periods from March to May. During these periods, both countries are guaranteed 35,000 cusecs of water in alternating ten-day blocks.