The International Farakka Committee (IFC) on Monday urged the Bangladesh government to take urgent action regarding the persistent floods and droughts in the Teesta basin, attributed to the manipulation of river flow by India.
This year, four successive flash floods have wreaked havoc in the Teesta basin, causing widespread damage to standing crops and eroding fields and homes in the districts of Lalmonirhat, Rangpur, Kurigram, Nilphamari, and Gaibandha.
During the dry season, the Teesta River is left dry as all its water is diverted at the Gajoldoba Barrage in West Bengal, India, read a joint statement from IFC leaders in both New York and Bangladesh on Monday.
In a joint statement on Monday, IFC leaders from both New York and Bangladesh emphasised that Bangladesh can no longer ignore this recurring man-made environmental disaster, which severely impacts the livelihoods of millions in the northern regions of the country.
The IFC called on Dhaka to initiate negotiations for the renewal of the 30-year Ganges Water Sharing Treaty, set to expire in December 2026, and to consider a basin-wide integrated management approach.
Farmers in the Teesta basin have been hit hard by the floods, with three waves in August submerging Aman seedlings and further damage occurring in mid-September. Erosion of farmlands and residential areas has caused substantial loss.
The IFC leaders stressed that the issue of unilateral water diversion from 54 shared rivers cannot be resolved without addressing the matter with India and raising it on international platforms to prevent further ecological disasters in Bangladesh.
