Teesta water sharing deal

Modi pledge unlikely to be fulfilled

Experts see little hope of deal during his, Hasina’s tenures

There appears to be no visible indication of the fulfilment of the pledge Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi made regarding the signing of the crucial Teesta water sharing agreement during the tenures of him and her Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina.

Given the general elections both in India and Bangladesh in the horizon and the Indian prime minister’s somewhat strained relationship with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, it looks highly unlikely that the deal, which was supposed to be signed in September 2011, will be signed during the tenures of Modi and Hasina, government officials concerned told The Independent.

The ongoing Rohingya crisis apparently has taken the Teesta issue to ‘back burners’ to some extent, they added.

On April 8 last year, during Hasina’s visit to India, Modi said the Teesta had attracted greatest attention and that the deal will be signed during their tenures.

“Along with our shared land boundaries are our shared rivers. They sustain our peoples and their livelihoods. And, the one that has attracted the greatest attention is the Teesta. This is important for India, for Bangladesh and for India-Bangladesh relationship,” he said.

“I am very happy that the Chief Minister of West Bengal is my honoured guest today. I know that her feelings for Bangladesh are as warm as my own. I assure you and the people of Bangladesh of our commitment and continuing efforts. I firmly believe that it is only my government and Excellency Sheikh Hasina, your government, that can and will find an early solution to Teesta water sharing,” he added.

“There has been no development since then,” Mofazzal Hossain, the chief executive of the Joint River Commission (JRC), a mechanism between Bangladesh and India to deal with the issues related to common rivers, told The Independent yesterday. “We have no idea as to when the deal will be signed,” said Mofazzal, also a JRC member.

About the water flow, the chief executive of JRC, which is under the water resources ministry, he said that Bangladesh has been consistently getting over 1,000 cusec of Teesta water.

Several sources in the government confirmed that the water Bangladesh is getting is not enough and undoubtedly harming the farmers of that region.

“We are always optimistic. Our position is that India is completing their internal consultations and the deal will be signed as soon as possible,” a top official of the foreign ministry said.

The officials of the ministry also claimed that the Teesta issue has not been forgotten due to the ongoing Rohingya crisis.

“It is very much kicking and alive. We raise it with the Indians regularly at all levels whenever we get the opportunity,” said an official.

During the recent visit of Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to Bangladesh, Foreign Minister Abul Hasan Mahmood Ali reminded her of Modi’s pledge regarding the agreement, he said.

And, he added that the foreign minister is now in India to attend an event and most likely raised this issue during a meeting on the sidelines with her Indian counterpart Sushma Swaraj yesterday.   

Officials, however, acknowledged that Dhaka is literally helpless in this regard and Bangladesh is simply a victim of the internal mechanism of its first neighbour.

They also said the Indian politics is going to play a big role regarding Teesta as the next general election is scheduled for 2019 and West Bengal has 42 out of 545 seats of India’s lower house of parliament.

Following ruling BJP’s success in Assam, it will try to make inroads in the West Bengal and it remains to be seen if the Modi’s party will take any decision that might antagonise the voters, said the officials. And, they said that Mamata’s aspiration to become the Indian prime minister is another issue to think about.

The officials also reminded that like the resolving of the land boundary issues, the central government might be able to persuade Mamata to withdraw her objection and there might be a breakthrough.

“In diplomacy many things happen. You never know,” said an official.

Teesta water sharing deal

Modi pledge unlikely to be fulfilled

Experts see little hope of deal during his, Hasinas tenures

There appears to be no visible indication of the fulfilment of the pledge Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi made regarding the signing of the crucial Teesta water sharing agreement during the tenures of him and her Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina. Given the general elections both in India and Bangladesh in the horizon and the Indian prime ministers somewhat strained relationship with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, it looks highly unlikely that the deal, which was supposed to be signed in September 2011, will be signed during the tenures of Modi and Hasina, government officials concerned told The Independent. The ongoing Rohingya crisis apparently has taken the Teesta issue to back burners to some extent, they added. On April 8 last year, during Hasinas visit to India, Modi said the Teesta had attracted greatest attention and that the deal will be signed during their tenures. Along with our shared land boundaries are our shared rivers. They sustain our peoples and their livelihoods. And, the one that has attracted the greatest attention is the Teesta. This is important for India, for Bangladesh and for India-Bangladesh relationship, he said. I am very happy that the Chief Minister of West Bengal is my honoured guest today. I know that her feelings for Bangladesh are as warm as my own. I assure you and the people of Bangladesh of our commitment and continuing efforts. I firmly believe that it is only my government and Excellency Sheikh Hasina, your government, that can and will find an early solution to Teesta water sharing, he added. There has been no development since then, Mofazzal Hossain, the chief executive of the Joint River Commission (JRC), a mechanism between Bangladesh and India to deal with the issues related to common rivers, told The Independent yesterday. We have no idea as to when the deal will be signed, said Mofazzal, also a JRC member. About the water flow, the chief executive of JRC, which is under the water resources ministry, he said that Bangladesh has been consistently getting over 1,000 cusec of Teesta water. Several sources in the government confirmed that the water Bangladesh is getting is not enough and undoubtedly harming the farmers of that region. We are always optimistic. Our position is that India is completing their internal consultations and the deal will be signed as soon as possible, a top official of the foreign ministry said. The officials of the ministry also claimed that the Teesta issue has not been forgotten due to the ongoing Rohingya crisis. It is very much kicking and alive. We raise it with the Indians regularly at all levels whenever we get the opportunity, said an official. During the recent visit of Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to Bangladesh, Foreign Minister Abul Hasan Mahmood Ali reminded her of Modis pledge regarding the agreement, he said. And, he added that the foreign minister is now in India to attend an event and most likely raised this issue during a meeting on the sidelines with her Indian counterpart Sushma Swaraj yesterday. Officials, however, acknowledged that Dhaka is literally helpless in this regard and Bangladesh is simply a victim of the internal mechanism of its first neighbour. They also said the Indian politics is going to play a big role regarding Teesta as the next general election is scheduled for 2019 and West Bengal has 42 out of 545 seats of Indias lower house of parliament. Following ruling BJPs success in Assam, it will try to make inroads in the West Bengal and it remains to be seen if the Modis party will take any decision that might antagonise the voters, said the officials. And, they said that Mamatas aspiration to become the Indian prime minister is another issue to think about. The officials also reminded that like the resolving of the land boundary issues, the central government might be able to persuade Mamata to withdraw her objection and there might be a breakthrough. In diplomacy many things happen. You never know, said an official.