Teesta Master Plan: Who implements development projects is Bangladesh’s sovereign choice
While China’s involvement in the project is nothing more than a continuation of its development cooperation with Bangladesh, Indian media has voiced concern due to the project’s location being so close to the ‘Chicken’s Neck’
China wants to start work on the Teesta Master Plan (TMP) as soon as possible, said Syeda Rizwana Hasan, both information and environment adviser, on 19 January.
"Both the Bangladesh and Chinese governments are committed to implementing the TMP. Since the project's verification process has not yet been completed, it is not possible to begin work at this moment," Rizwana said.
She made these innocent remarks while speaking to local reporters after visiting an erosion-prone area along the Teesta River with Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen in the Tepamadhupur Taluk Shahbazpur area of Kawnia upazila in Rangpur.
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But for neighbouring India, Adviser Rizwana's comments were anything but apolitical.
Soon after her statement, Indian media framed the visit with headlines such as 'Bangladesh government takes Chinese ambassador near India's Chicken's Neck' and 'Yunus teasing India again over Chicken's Neck'.
But should not allowing China to implement the Teesta Master Plan be entirely Bangladesh's sovereign choice?
Why China?
The Teesta River is the lifeline for agriculture and livelihoods in northern districts of Bangladesh, but it is equally important for West Bengal. Hence, discussions over Teesta water-sharing have been ongoing for decades bar a final agreement due to concerns repeatedly raised by the West Bengal government.
As a result, Bangladesh looked for alternative support, and China naturally emerged as a viable choice for a complex, multi-dimensional project. The two countries have maintained strong diplomatic and economic ties over decades, and this move is simply a continuation of their development cooperation.
Following a meeting between Yao and National Security Adviser Khalilur Rahman, the Chief Adviser's Press wing posted on X on 18 January, "Both sides exchanged views on issues of mutual interest, reaffirming longstanding friendship and development cooperation between Bangladesh and China.
"Discussions included the Teesta River Comprehensive Management and Restoration Project and proposed Bangladesh-China Friendship Hospital. In this context, the Chinese ambassador informed us that he would visit the Teesta project area, and reiterated China's commitment to completing the ongoing technical assessment expeditiously," the post further reads.
Earlier, during an interview in China last year, Muhammad Yunus had urged Beijing to establish strong economic infrastructure in Bangladesh by leveraging Bangladesh's strategic position as "only guardian of the ocean" in the region.
From Bangladesh's perspective, the Teesta Master Plan is not a geopolitical maneuver but a development imperative. It aims to improve people's lives by ensuring reliable water supply, reducing floods and riverbank erosion and by supporting livelihoods linked to farming and fishing in the Teesta area.
Making water supply more stable and protecting communities from repeated disasters, the plan seeks to improve food security, incomes, and overall living conditions for millions of people living along the river.
Engaging China is a strategic extension of Bangladesh's longstanding foreign policy approach, which prioritises sovereign decision-making when it comes to national development. By diversifying its international partnerships and not depending solely on neighbouring countries for critical projects, Bangladesh reinforces its ability to independently shape infrastructure and development agendas.
In the case of the TMP, partnering with China represents a practical choice to secure technical, financial and political support for a project that has the potential to transform the lives of millions along the Teesta River.
What concerns India?
India's concerns are clearly geopolitical.
"On paper, the visit was framed as a developmental engagement tied to the China-backed TMP project. Strategically, however, it sends a far more pointed signal. For New Delhi, this is not just about river water or infrastructure; it is about geography, proximity, and intent," reads a report by India Today titled 'Is India prepared for sustained pressure on its eastern chokepoint?'.
According to the report, what worries India is not the project itself, but its location and the strategic footprint it could create just kilometres from the Chicken's Neck.
Notably, the Teesta project area is close to the strategic Siliguri Corridor, or "Chicken's Neck" — a 22-kilometre-wide narrow strip of land connecting India's mainland with its Northeastern states. Its strategic vulnerability has long been recognised in Indian security planning.
Indian analysts argue that even a civilian or technical Chinese presence so close to the corridor could enhance Beijing's ability to monitor key Indian military installations and transportation routes in the region. Such a presence could come through infrastructure development teams, technical specialists, or even long-term advisory units participating in the project.
Moreover, a strategic rivalry between India and China is in place. Beyond the Teesta project, India is generally concerned about China's expanding footprint in Bangladesh — in areas such as infrastructure, airports, and economic zones — which could gradually reshape the regional balance of power.
