Bangladesh Delegation Visits Farakka Barrage for Ganga Treaty Talks

The delegation, led by Mohammad Abdul Hossain of the Joint River Commission (JRC), traveled by train to West Bengal for the site visit, reports The Tribune India. This visit comes at a crucial time in India-Bangladesh relations, which have been marked by occasional tensions over water-sharing issues and broader geopolitical concerns.

Following the visit, the delegation will hold two days of meetings with officials from India’s Jal Shakti Ministry in Kolkata from March 6 to 7. The two countries are scheduled to hold the 86th meeting of their joint technical experts committee next week to discuss the renewal of the 30-year-old treaty on the shared waters of the Ganga River.

Signed on December 12, 1996, by Indian Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda and Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the Ganga Water Treaty has been pivotal in regulating the flow of the river between the two nations. However, the treaty has faced criticism, particularly from Bangladesh, which has long argued that the agreement disproportionately favors India, leading to significant water shortages in Bangladesh.

With the treaty set to expire in 2026, both countries are working towards a new agreement that addresses the evolving needs and concerns of both sides.