Teesta, Ganges Barrage deals put on back burner [ Tritiyo Matra News ]

Teesta, Ganges Barrage deals put on back burner

Local April 10, 2017

The issues of sharing of Teesta River water and Indian consent to the proposed joint construction of the Padma-Ganges Barrage in Bangladesh were kept on the back burner during prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s ongoing visit to New Delhi.
Indian authorities declined, in formal meetings and informal discussions during prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s ongoing visit, to accept Bangladesh’s proposal for setting a deadline for the signing of the Teesta water sharing deal, in line with quantum of waters the two sides agreed six years ago, said officials concerned.
They also declined to set a deadline for a meeting of joint technical committee on the Padma-Ganges barrage planned for construction in Rajbari in Bangladesh.
Indian external affairs ministry also declined to incorporate, in the joint statement issued on Saturday, verbal assurance made by prime minister Narendra Modi expressing his government’s commitment to resolve Teesta water dispute under the governments led by the two leaders.
Asked before the formal release of the statement if the Indian prime minister’s public statement expressing the assurance was incorporated in the statement, Bangladesh foreign secretary M
Shahidul Haque said, ‘When the prime minister makes a statement expressing commitment on record that becomes a policy statement. It does not become necessary to incorporate those in documents.’
Hasina, according to the joint statement, requested the Indian prime minister during the official talks for conclusion of the interim agreement on sharing of the water of Teesta as agreed upon by both governments in January 2011.
She also stressed the need for India’s concurrence for joint construction of a barrage in Bangladesh part of the Padma-Ganges river flowing through the two countries.
It was also expected that she would raise the water sharing issues during her one-on-one meeting with Modi.
Asked about the content of the tête-à-tête between the two prime ministers, Shahidul Haque said he was ‘not privy’ to the meeting.
Modi said in his public statement, ‘I assure you and the people of Bangladesh of our commitment and continuing efforts. I firmly believe that it is only my government and excellency Sheikh Hasina, your government, that can and will find an early solution to Teesta water sharing.’
Bangladesh-India Joint Rivers Commission agreed in principal in 2011 that the two countries would get equal share of Teesta water after keeping 20 per cent for the river itself.
Hasina, in her press statement, also stressed the need for expeditious solution to Teesta water sharing dispute.
She also discussed the matter with West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, officials said, but got no positive response.
Bangladesh side was demanding, at official level meetings, for inking the Teesta agreement by this June and a meeting of joint technical committee on Padma-Ganges Barrage in a month to expedite Indian concurrence on the construction of the barrage. Indian side rebuffed both the demands.
Modi reiterated that his government was working with all stakeholders in India for an early conclusion of the agreement.
The two prime ministers also directed concerned officials to conclude meanwhile discussions on various aspects relating to sharing of waters of Feni, Manu, Muhuri, Khowai, Gumti, Dharla and Dudhkumar rivers, according to the joint statement.
Hasina is in India on a four-day state visit starting from April 7.
India has been dillydallying for over six years on signing agreements on the sharing of waters of Teesta and Feni rivers, in spite of formal directions from the highest political levels during the visits of Indian prime minister Narendra Modi in 2015, and his predecessor Manmohan Singh in 2011 in Dhaka for making the deals on fair and equitable basis, reached through protracted negotiations continued for decades.
Some 36 bilateral documents, including agreements, memorandums of understanding, standard of procedure and business documents, were signed, exchanged, adopted and handed over in the past three days.