Bangladesh to work on Padma Barrage project, as talks on Farakka Barrage Treaty with India stalls

Dhaka: Relations between India and Bangladesh have been strained since sitting Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajed was forced to flee following an uprising led by jihadi groups and student bodies. This tension has also affected the Farakka Treaty on Ganga water sharing. This agreement between the two countries is expiring this year and needs to be renewed.

What is the issue regarding the Padma Barrage project?

Due to the strained relations, negotiations on extending the treaty have stalled. As talks on the treaty faltered, Bangladesh has begun working on a new strategy. Dhaka has prepared a plan to build a new barrage on the Padma River. This is a new move by the Bangladeshi government under Muhammad Yunus, reflecting an anti-India stance.

The Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) is preparing to implement the long-stalled Padma Barrage project at a cost of 50,443.64 crore Bangladeshi Taka. The Padma River is the downstream section of the Ganges River, which flows from India into Bangladesh. This move by Dhaka could further worsen its relations with India.

How have ties between India and Bangladesh affected the Padma Barrage project?

According to media reports, the Farakka Agreement between India and Bangladesh, signed in 1996 for sharing the waters of the Ganges River, is currently facing difficulties. Bangladesh wants a guarantee of water flow during the dry season, while India wants to modify it to meet its own needs. As a result, India and Bangladesh are not reaching a consensus on the Farakka Agreement. Meanwhile, the Padma Barrage is being seen as an aggressive move by Bangladesh.

Tarique Rahman, chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), said that during Ziaur Rahman's time, we saw how canals were built in Bangladesh. These canals helped with irrigation as well as general water supply. Tarique said that under Sheikh Hasina's rule, national interests were not prioritized. Now, we are changing our approach; we will put Bangladesh first, not India, Pakistan, or any other country.

What is Bangladesh's stance on the issue?

The Bangladeshi government says that India's Farakka Barrage on the Ganges River has obstructed the flow of water in the Padma River. This has increased the need for a barrage on the river. This project is likely to be built in Pangsha, Kushtia district, Bangladesh, approximately 180 km downstream from the Farakka Barrage.

Documents from the Bangladesh Water Development Board state that the flow of water from the Farakka Barrage into Bangladesh has decreased. Under the 1996 Ganges Water Sharing Treaty, both countries share the river water at Farakka from January 1 to May 31 each year. Now, negotiating this 30-year-old treaty has become a challenge amidst strained relations between the two countries.

What is China's role in Bangladesh?

Bangladesh says that the Padma Barrage will allow it to store monsoon season water in the Padma River and ensure year-round water supply to the country's southwestern and northwestern regions. These regions include areas dependent on the Padma River, covering 37 percent of the country.

Bangladesh believes that this project will ensure water supply to seven to eight rivers and can revive the deteriorated water systems during the dry season. Meanwhile, China's role is also attracting attention in India. China is partnering with Bangladesh to implement the Teesta Master Plan.

Chinese Ambassador Yao Wen recently visited the area near the strategically important Siliguri Corridor. Wen visited the project site in Rangpur, which is close to the Indian border. This indicates China's growing interest in these areas, which are strategically important and located near India.