Dhaka, August 18, 2026: Bangladesh does not want its friendly relations with India to deteriorate over the long-pending Teesta water-sharing agreement and expects New Delhi to consider Dhaka's interests while pursuing its own, Water Resources Minister Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anee has said.
"The neighbouring country is a friendly country. They have to think that while they have their interests, we also have ours," Anee was quoted as saying by news portal tbsnews.net at a seminar in Dhaka.
"A friend should protect the interests of a friend. We never want our friendly relations with them to deteriorate," he said.
Anee's remarks on Sunday came as Bangladesh renewed efforts to address the Teesta issue, including through the proposed Teesta River Comprehensive Management and Restoration Project with China's support. Dhaka is seeking to tackle recurring floods, river erosion and dry-season water shortages in the country's northern districts.
Bangladesh Steps Up Push For Teesta Project
Anee said the government had held several seminars and consultations since the February election to seek expert views on the proposed project. A detailed study based on the recommendations would help the government take concrete steps, he said.
He was speaking at the Sustainable Management of the Teesta River seminar, jointly organised by the Ministry of Water Resources and the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology.
Describing the project as a major challenge, Anee said people in five to six northern districts had high expectations after suffering for years from river erosion and other problems.
"If we fail to implement it, the damage and problems faced by families in those areas will continue to increase. We have to overcome this challenge anyhow," he said.
Anee said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman regularly discusses the project, while departmental and inter-ministerial meetings review its progress.
Asserting that a treaty is "urgently needed", he said, "Whether it is called the Teesta treaty or the Teesta master plan, or whatever is necessary to implement this project, we will move towards implementation."
Teesta Water-Sharing Deal Remains Elusive
The Teesta issue has remained a major irritant in India-Bangladesh water cooperation for decades. The river originates in the Himalayas and flows through Sikkim and West Bengal before entering Bangladesh, where it eventually joins the Jamuna, the Bangladeshi name for the Brahmaputra.
The river is particularly important for agriculture and livelihoods in northern Bangladesh, while it is vital for irrigation and power generation in West Bengal. Several hydropower projects are located in its upper catchment areas, and nearly half a dozen districts in North Bengal depend on its waters.
India and Bangladesh have discussed sharing the Teesta waters since the 1980s. An interim arrangement reached in 1983 allocated 39% of the water to India and 36% to Bangladesh, leaving the remaining 25% unallocated. Further negotiations followed, but the two countries did not reach a comprehensive long-term agreement.
A draft interim agreement finalised in 2011 envisaged a dry-season water-sharing formula. However, it could not be signed after the West Bengal government opposed it over concerns about its impact on water availability in the state.
The Teesta issue is separate from the Ganges Water Sharing Treaty, signed by India and Bangladesh in 1996 for 30 years and due to expire in December 2026. The two countries share 54 transboundary rivers and address water-related issues through the Joint Rivers Commission.
Chinese Involvement Adds Strategic Dimension
During an official visit to Beijing in June, Rahman held high-level talks with the Chinese leadership and secured Beijing's commitment to expedite the technical feasibility study for the Teesta restoration project.
Bangladesh's move to seek Chinese involvement has added a strategic dimension to the issue. For India, the prospect of a greater Chinese presence in northern Bangladesh is more sensitive because of the region's proximity to the Siliguri Corridor, the narrow land link connecting India's north-eastern states with the rest of the country.
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India has maintained that the Teesta issue should be addressed through discussions with all relevant stakeholders, including West Bengal.
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in July that India's views on the proposed Teesta river project had already been conveyed to Bangladesh.
He said India would factor in "all related developments" in its "overall approach to the Teesta issue".
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