Concern about Indian river-link move

On July 13, 2015 the Indian government announced that it would soon take up the mega task of connecting Teesta-Ganga-Manas-Sankosh rivers across the states of Assam, West Bengal and Bihar in consultation with the governments of the respective states. An official statement said, "This link project will not only provide large irrigation and water supply benefits to Assam, West Bengal and Bihar, but will also make available large quantum of water for transfer subsequently to southern states."      
India and Bangladesh are co-riparian countries while there are a number of common rivers. The Indian move to connect rivers came amid Bangladesh's concerns over possible decline of water flow in some of the trans-boundary rivers shared by both countries. Earlier, India repeatedly assured Bangladesh of not taking any river-linking project that would be harmful to the latter without consulting its government. But Banglasesh's water resources minister said that India is yet to talk to Bangladesh on the mega river linking plan across India. As per the agreements signed between the two countries, he said, India cannot go ahead with a move detrimental to Bangladesh's interest.
Worried at India's latest move to interlink rivers, the Bangladesh government is reportedly sending a diplomatic note to its Indian counterpart on the issue. On behalf of the Bangladesh government the water resources minister told on July 21, 2015, "…we cannot send any protest letter only seeing newspaper reports. We're sending a note verbal to India seeking explanation about the objectivity of the news reports published recently in Indian media".
The main out-of-parliament opposition party BNP is quite stern in its criticism of the Bangladesh government for soft handling of the issue and expressed concern over the Indian move. Voicing deep concern over India's reported move to connect Teesta-Ganga-Manas-Sankosh covering the three aforementioned states, the BNP on July 22, 2015 urged the government to sit with the authorities concerned of the neighbouring government on an emergency basis over the issue. Addressing a press briefing at BNP's central party office, a BNP spokesman said their party will extend all-out cooperation to the government in resolving all the national issues, including those related to water. He urged the government to be more assertive to realise fair share of waters from common rivers. He criticised the government for not coming up with strong reactions to the Indian move.
However, the Bangladesh water resources minister on July 23, 2015 said the government would not accept any project by neighbouring India that may be harmful to Bangladesh. He told reporters on sidelines of a workshop in Dhaka that "According to media reports, India has taken a move to interlink its rivers, but, I think, as per the agreements and joint communiqué signed between the two countries, India can't go ahead with such a move which is detrimental to Bangladesh." Bangladesh will not compromise with India over any project which may adversely affect the country, he said, referring to Bangladesh's move to resolve sea boundary dispute with India.
Concerned quarters in Bangladesh are keeping their fingers crossed over the turn of events.
The writer is a retired Professor of Economics, BCS General Education Cadre.
[email protected]