India has stated that all issues regarding the 1996 Ganges Water Treaty must be discussed under the framework of bilateral Joint Rivers Commission (JRC), as Bangladesh awaits a formal response from New Delhi on renegotiating the agreement before its expiry this December.
Randhir Jaiswal, the official spokesperson at the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, clarified that water and river-related issues between the two nations are routinely addressed within the JRC’s agenda.
Speaking to reporters in New Delhi recently, he confirmed that technical-level meetings of the Joint Committee of the Ganges Water Treaty continue to be held.
“Ganges Water Treaty was signed in 1996 for a period of 30 years and all water related issues, river related issues between India and Bangladesh are discussed as part of the agenda of the bilateral Joint Rivers Commission,” Jaiswal said.
Meanwhile, the Bangladesh government remains active in pursuing its fair share of water from common rivers.
Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman announced in Parliament on Thursday that Dhaka has formed a dedicated team to prepare a new agreement following the treaty’s upcoming expiry.
The Foreign Minister, replying to a supplementary question from Bagerhat-4 lawmaker Abdul Aleem, stated that the Indian authorities have been formally notified of the team’s formation. “We are now waiting for their response,” he added.
Speaking to NDTV on the sidelines of the ninth Indian Ocean Conference in Mauritius, Dr Khalilur Rahman emphasised the necessity of a revised or new arrangement that secures the essential needs of the Bangladeshi people.
“These are common rivers, and we have common legacies here, common interests and, as I said, there’s no other alternative but to seek a solution that is durable and will win public trust. And this will also be very important to lay the basis for the relationship over the next 25 to 50 years,” he said.
Stressing the need for revision, Prof Shahab Enam Khan, Executive Director of the Bangladesh Centre for Indo-Pacific Affairs, pointed out that the treaty was drafted almost three decades ago and must be updated.
Other experts have also urged a comprehensive review and reform of the treaty before any renewal is finalised.
They advocated for a multidisciplinary planning group – comprising economists, urban planners, sociologists, and environmentalists – to address the shared risks associated with inappropriate water sharing.
