Joint technical committee to be formed to renew Ganges Water Sharing Treaty

Highlights 

• Dhaka will propose water-sharing deal for 14 rivers
• Approval will be sought for dam repairs and dredging at 75 locations
• Govt to seek approval to use 153 cusecs of water from the Kushiyara
• Bangladesh aims to establish a common flood forecasting model

Bangladesh and India will form a joint technical committee within the next three months to renew the Ganges Water Sharing Treaty, according to sources in the Joint Rivers Commission of Bangladesh.

The commission has already formed a preparatory committee, which has held a meeting. Based on its recommendations, Bangladesh will propose the formation of the joint technical committee to the Joint Rivers Commission of India, the sources said.

The 86th meeting of the Joint Rivers Commission is being held in Kolkata and Farakka, West Bengal, India, from 3 to 8 March, with an 11-member delegation led by Mohammad Abul Hossain, a member of the Joint Rivers Commission of Bangladesh, who left Dhaka yesterday.

Before leaving for India, Hossain told The Business Standard, "This year's Joint Rivers Commission meeting has 11 agendas, but the renewal of the Ganges Water Sharing Treaty will be discussed separately.

"Bangladesh has already formed a preparatory committee, which recommended that the next agreement consider climate change and undergo a thorough review."

He said the committee proposed forming a joint technical committee, and Bangladesh has informed the Indian side at both the water resources secretary-level and foreign ministry-level meetings.

"India also supports this, and the committee will be formed within three months, with three members from each country," he added.

Hossain also mentioned that the Bangladesh delegation will observe the Ganges water flow in Farakka and gather information on the upstream flow.

The Ganges Water Sharing Treaty, signed on 12 December 1996 in New Delhi by then Indian prime minister HD Deve Gowda and his then counterpart Sheikh Hasina, is a 30-year accord.

Under the agreement, Bangladesh and India share the Ganges water flow at Farakka from 1 January to 31 May each year. If the flow is up to 70,000 cusecs, both countries receive 50% each. If the flow exceeds 70,000 cusecs but is up to 75,000 cusecs, Bangladesh gets a maximum of 35,000 cusecs, with the rest going to India.

If the flow surpasses 75,000 cusecs, India retains 40,000 cusecs, and the remaining water is allocated to Bangladesh. The water volume is calculated every 10 days.

However, the agreement guarantees both Bangladesh and India 35,000 cusecs of water for 10 days each from 11 March to 10 May. From 11 to 20 March, Bangladesh receives 35,000 cusecs, followed by India for the next 10 days, continuing until 10 May. This provision ensures a steady water flow during the relatively low-flow period.

According to Joint Rivers Commission sources, the Ganges Water Sharing Treaty, based on the river's average flow from 1949 to 1988, has been in effect for 28 years. From 1 January to 28 February, Bangladesh received 2,83,587 cusecs of water, while India received 2,34,668 cusecs.

The agreement is set to expire in December 2026. During Hasina's 2024 visit to India, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi confirmed that both countries agreed to an expert-level review for renewal.

Since the fall of Hasina's government in August last year, relations between Bangladesh and India have become strained, with both governments openly criticising each other.

While the two countries share 54 rivers, no agreement exists on the water sharing of any river other than the Ganges. Although there have been long-standing discussions on Teesta water sharing, no agreement has been reached due to objections from Indian leaders including West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Topics to be discussed 

Bangladesh will propose a water-sharing agreement for 14 rivers at the upcoming meeting, including six rivers – Dharla, Dudkumar, Gumti, Khowai, Manu, and Mahuri.

Mohammad Abul Hossain said information on water use for these rivers has already been exchanged, while data for eight additional rivers will be sought. Bangladesh aims to ensure the water of these rivers is shared according to international procedures.

Bangladesh plans to propose the development of a joint flood forecasting model with India at this year's River Commission meeting. The proposal includes direct information exchange, aiming to establish a collaborative flood forecasting system to address floods caused by upstream water pressure.

Bangladesh will seek approval at the commission meeting for dam repairs and dredging at 75 locations along shared rivers, following flood damage to dams last year and the need for dredging in several areas. These activities, including excavation and dam construction, require approval from both countries.

Bangladesh will seek approval for the use of Kushiyara River water, as per a 6 September 2022 MoU with India, allowing both countries to extract 153 cusecs each at the Rahimpur Canal Point in Sylhet.

During the dry season, the Kushiyara River flows an average of 5,295 to 17,650 cusecs in Bangladesh, and the agreement was expected to support cultivation in Zakiganj Upazila. Bangladesh has also installed pumps for this purpose.

India is supposed to extract water from the Kushiyara River for drinking purposes in Sabroom, Tripura, but has not initiated this yet, preventing the agreement from taking effect.

Mohammad Abul Hossain said Bangladesh's right to extract water will be discussed in the Joint River Commission meeting.