Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will raise the contentious water sharing issues during talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday, said Bangladesh Foreign Minister Abul Hassan Mahmud Ali. Dhaka sees the honouring of 1971 Army heroes, the “Sommanona ceremony,” as a highlight of her visit, Mr. Ali added.
“We will be raising all water-related issues including sharing of common rivers,” Mr. Ali told The Hindu in written replies, indicating that the Teesta water sharing agreement, held up due to objections from West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, is still on the table as far as Bangladesh is concerned.
Mr. Ali’s remarks were in contrast to the Indian government’s stand so far that there is little hope for forward movement on the Teesta agreement.
Reflecting the importance of Ms Hasina’s visit, Ms Hasina’s first bilateral visit since 2010, Ms. Hasina was greeted at the airport on Friday by Mr. Modi. She will be staying as a guest of President Pranab Mukherjee at Rashtrapati Bhawan. In a tweet, Mr Modi said he and PM Hasina were “determined to take the relationship between our nations to a new level.”
Ms. Hasina met with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Friday, which the Ministry described as a “courtesy call”. Ms. Hasina will meet with Mr Modi at Delhi’s Hyderabad House on Saturday morning for bilateral talks which will be followed by an official lunch.
“We also would like to further discuss the Padma-Ganges Barrage project and basin-wide management of our water resources to the benefit of our two peoples,” Mr. Ali said. Sources said a discussion on holding the next Joint Rivers Commission that last met in 2010, although it had held 37 meetings prior to that, could also be taken up.
Mr. Ali’s remarks were contrast to the Indian government’s stand so far that there is little hope for forward movement on the Teesta agreement.
Indian officials however, have little hope for movement on the Teesta issue and have focussed on about 25 other major agreements expected, including the Defence cooperation MoUs, a credit line of $500 million for defence and a development line of $5 billion as well as agreements on trade, connectivity and maritime cooperation.
“A visit without water”, was how officials in New Delhi described it, and admitted that Teesta is the “elephant in the room” in the bilateral relationship. In Dhaka, officials have consistently stated that they expect a resolution will be forged at a political level, when the leaders meet, making Mr. Ali’s reference to the issues over water significant.
In particular, Chief Minister Banerjee’s decision to attend the official receptions for Ms. Hasina in Delhi on Saturday gave rise to speculation that an announcement on Teesta was imminent. However, a statement by Ms. Banerjee this week, who has maintained that she has not been consulted by the government has dimmed those hopes. “What can I do if there is no water?” Ms. Banerjee told officials in Bankura on Wednesday, adding, “Water levels are drying up. Teesta doesn't have water.”
The agreement on Teesta was ready for signing in 2011, when Mr. Manmohan Singh had travelled to Dhaka, but had to be put off at the last minute when Ms. Banerjee pulled out of the visit claiming the framework agreement was against her state’s interests.
The agreement stipulates both sides will maintain a minimum flow of water and share the excess half and half, with a barrage built after Gajaldoba running mostly into Bangladeshi territory. Officials confirmed there have been a number of outreaches from the Central government to Ms Banerjee, including after the Modi government came to power in 2014, and after the West Bengal state elections in 2016 but there has been no positive signal on the Teesta issue.
To meet ‘71 heroes
On the ceremony to honour Indian soldiers who fought in teh 1971 war, Mr Ali said, “Valiant members of the Indian Armed Forces fought shoulder-to- shoulder with our freedom fighters in the final stages of the Liberation War — their blood mingled with the blood of our Mukti Bahini. By honouring them during the visit of Ms Hasina, we are indeed acknowledging their supreme sacrifice in our Liberation War.”
He said Ms. Hasina will meet with seven of 1,667 soldiers who will be honoured at what is expected to be a very emotional ceremony at Delhi’s Manekshaw Auditorium, named after the former Indian Army chief in 1971.
