India-Bangladesh Ties May Hinge On New Ganges Treaty: Dhaka Minister

Bangladesh's ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party has warned that Dhaka's future relations with New Delhi hinge on a renewed Ganges Water Sharing Treaty, as the current 1996 accord nears its December expiry and debate grows over Bangladesh's planned Padma barrage and India's insistence that all transboundary water issues stay within bilateral frameworks.

At a political event in Dhaka, BNP secretary general and Minister of Rural Development and Co-operatives Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said Bangladesh wanted to convey a firm position to New Delhi, stressing that any fresh Ganges deal must reflect Bangladesh's "expectations and needs" and be negotiated in line with what benefits Bangladeshi citizens.

India-Bangladesh stance on Ganges Water Sharing Treaty and bilateral mechanisms

India has responded by pointing to existing platforms. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal recently said India and Bangladesh share 54 rivers and already hold talks through established forums. "These bilateral mechanisms continue to meet at regular intervals," Jaiswal stated at a media briefing, indicating New Delhi sees no vacuum in dialogue structures.

During the same briefing, Jaiswal linked India’s water diplomacy with its broader security posture, reiterating that the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan remains "in abeyance" because of what India describes as Islamabad’s backing for cross-border attacks. Referring to Operation Sindoor, Jaiswal said India would act to protect itself and accused Pakistan of using terrorism as state policy.

BNP conditions ties on Ganges Water Sharing Treaty and Farakka Agreement

Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir directly tied bilateral goodwill to a fresh river pact. "The opportunity to establish good relations with India will depend on the signing of the Ganges Water Sharing Treaty or the Farakka Agreement," Alamgir said, adding that Bangladesh expected a "clear message" from New Delhi through meaningful water-sharing talks.

Alamgir argued the 1996 agreement, concluded under former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, should continue to operate until a replacement is finalised. He also suggested that future Ganges arrangements between the neighbours should not be limited by a fixed term, signalling Bangladesh's interest in a more open-ended framework.

Padma barrage, Farakka Barrage and Ganges Water Sharing Treaty debates

The political exchange comes shortly after Bangladesh approved an ambitious Padma river barrage project that Dhaka says will reduce the "negative impact" of India's Farakka Barrage. Cleared by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council, the project is targeted for completion by 2033 under the leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.

Bangladesh Water Resources Minister Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anee described the Padma barrage as a matter of national interest and argued it did not require Indian consent. Anee said, "Discussions are necessary regarding the Ganges, and those are ongoing," indicating that while talks on the river continue, Dhaka sees the barrage as a sovereign move.

Ganges Water Sharing Treaty context, Farakka Barrage impact and river dependence

The Ganges enters Bangladesh through Chapai Nawabganj, where it is known as the Padma, and remains vital for agriculture, biodiversity and drinking water in the lower riparian country. Bangladesh is intersected by hundreds of rivers, including 54 that either rise in or pass through India, creating deep dependence on shared river governance.

According to Alamgir, almost one-third of Bangladesh's 170 million residents depend on this river network for work and ecological balance. Bangladeshi governments and water specialists have long argued that lower dry-season flows linked to the Farakka Barrage have increased salinity, damaged river channels and harmed farming and local ecology in several downstream regions.

India maintains that the Farakka Barrage was built mainly to keep Kolkata Port usable by improving flows into the Hooghly river and clearing silt. That justification continues to face scrutiny in Bangladesh, where Farakka remains a politically charged subject that shapes public perception of wider India-Bangladesh cooperation over shared waters.

Expert reactions to Padma barrage and links to Ganges Water Sharing Treaty

The Padma barrage decision has split expert opinion. Water specialist Ainun Nishat, who helped draft the original Ganges treaty, cautiously backed the plan but said its success depends on the continuation of water-sharing arrangements with India. Other analysts warn the barrage might increase sediment build-up and raise riverbeds, aggravating concerns already associated with Farakka.

Teesta talks, regional politics and implications for Ganges Water Sharing Treaty

Water politics are not limited to the Ganges. Earlier this month, BNP leaders criticised former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over the stalled Teesta water-sharing agreement. Speaking to news agency ANI, BNP Information Secretary Azizul Baree Helal alleged Banerjee’s administration had obstructed movement on the proposed Teesta accord between the two countries.

Helal welcomed the Bharatiya Janata Party’s win in West Bengal, saying the outcome might improve ties between Bangladesh and the bordering Indian state. Praising the BJP’s performance under Suvendu Adhikari, Helal expressed hope that a different political set-up in Kolkata could restart Teesta discussions that have remained stuck for years.

Helal also noted that stronger coordination between Dhaka and Kolkata could influence wider cross-border relations, as West Bengal shares the longest land boundary with Bangladesh among Indian states. For Dhaka, movement on both the Ganges Water Sharing Treaty and the Teesta deal appears central to resetting relations with India on rivers and broader strategic issues.