ZCZC
BSS-11
BANGABANDHU-WATER-DIPLOMACY
Bangabandhu first introduced water diplomacy
DHAKA, August 19, 2018 (BSS) – Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur
Rahman had introduced the water diplomacy in the independent Bangladesh by
forming a Joint River Commission (JRC) in 1972 through a joint-declaration
with the neighboruing India.
Bangabandhu formed the JRC aiming to ensure equity share of water of the
transboundary rivers flowing through Bangladesh and India, according to JRC
officials.
The water diplomacy of Bangabandhu, subsequently, became successful after
signing the Ganges Water Sharing Treaty 1996 by Bangladesh Prime Minister
Sheikh Hasina and her then Indian counterpart HD Deve Gowda in December, 1996
in New Delhi.
As per the agreement signed for 30 years, Bangladesh is supposed to get
35,000 cusec (cubic feet per second) of water from the Ganges River in
alternate three 10-day periods from January 1 to May 31 while India is
supposed to get 40,000 cusec of water if the water flow is 75,000 cusec or
above at Farakka Barrage point. Otherwise, both countries are supposed to get
equal share of water.
When Bangladesh faces scarcity of water during dry season every year, it
raises voice demanding equity share of water from common rivers, including
the Ganges River, to meet its growing water demand. During the dry season,
upper countries including India divert water from common rivers to other
rivers to meet their domestic water demand, violating the international laws.
As per the joint-declaration by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and
Indira Gandhi, a statute of the India-Bangladesh JRC was signed in Dhaka on
November 24, 1972 aiming to ensure proper watershed management of trans-
boundary rivers.
The then Secretary of the Minister of Flood Control and Water Resources
Shafiqul Haque and then Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka Subimal Datta
signed the statute on behalf of their respective sides.
“After the independence of Bangladesh, Bangabandhu realised the importance
of water resource management and its development, and that’s why he took
initiatives in this regard,” JRC Member Md Mufazzal Hossain told BSS.
In March 1972, he said, the JRC was established as per the Bangladesh-India
joint-declaration for permanent management of the water resources, adding
that the JRC is now working for joint management of water resources of common
rivers.
In addition, the JRC is exchanging data of common rivers with China, Nepal
and Bhutan, Mufazzal said.
The JRC officials said there are about 405 rivers in the country and of
them, 57 are trans-boundary rivers.
India and Bangladesh are sharing 54 trans-boundary rivers while Bangladesh
has three rivers with Myanmar, they said.
BSS/Spl-MK/SAH/MRI/1627 hrs