Bangladesh has raised eyebrows over neighboring India’s move to divert transboundary Teesta River waters for agricultural purposes, calling it “alarming” as further withdrawal of the joint waters would be disastrous for the country's downstream agriculture lands.
Bangladesh will send a letter to India's Central Water Commission to seek an explanation for the diversion of fresh water, Joint Rivers Commission (JRC) Member Mohammad Abul Hossen told Anadolu on Friday.
An Indian newspaper reported last week that West Bengal's irrigation department had taken possession of approximately 1,000 acres of land to dig two more canals under the Teesta Barrage Project to channel water for agricultural purposes.
Under the new project, India will build three hydropower plants in Darjeeling, two of which will draw water from the Teesta River, according to The Telegraph.
Bangladesh is prepared to write to India asking for an explanation and for details about the projects that the Indian government has launched to dig canals to divert water from the joint river for agricultural use.
The 414 kilometers (257 miles) Teesta River originates in the eastern Himalayas and crosses northern Bangladesh.
Bangladesh has 57 transboundary rivers, 54 of which are shared with India and three with Myanmar.
"They (India) should have informed us, but we have not been informed of anything officially. Therefore, we will send a demi-official letter to the Indian counterpart to know the facts and express our concern that such an initiative would have an impact on the Teesta downstream in Bangladesh," JRC's senior official Hossen said.
The JRC usually provides water for irrigation to 55,000 hectares of agricultural land during the dry season, but this year it has only provided water to 35,000 hectares due to a lack of water flow in the Teesta River and other renovation work in canals of the Teesta barrage project, he explained.
The Teesta Barrage, located 44 kilometers (27 miles) northeast of Nilphamari, began operation in 1979.
The river nearly dried up during the dry season due to irrigation and water control upstream in India, he said, adding that if the waters are diverted further, the entire ecosystem in the Teesta downstream will suffer.
"We don't have minimum water flow in the Teesta during the dry season, no water, no fish are found in the river with only limitless char or sandbanks due to the overcontrol of water flow in the upstream in India," he said, adding that they are forced to take this step.
Bangladesh State Minister for Water Resources Zaheed Farooque also called the initiative concerning. He told reporters in Dhaka on Thursday that the government will ask New Delhi to explain the situation.
Meanwhile, in its weekly briefing, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Seheli Sabrin said Bangladesh is monitoring the situation and will take the appropriate action based on India's response.
Despite repeated assurances from New Delhi, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and protests from India's West Bengal state, Bangladesh could not have allowed its neighbor to sign the long-standing water-sharing agreement over the last 12 years.
Some 11 small rivers in Bangladesh, mostly in northern districts that are dependent on Teesta River water flows, are now dying due to wishful waters withdrawing upstream in India in the absence of a water-sharing deal.
Joint Rivers Commission official says he will send demi-official letter to his Indian counterpart in regards to reports of 2 canals being dug from transboundary Teesta River - Anadolu Agency
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Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Indian counterpart Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday formally inaugurated 'Indo-Bangla Friendship Pipeline'.
The 131.57-kilometre cross-border pipeline was inaugurated as part of cooperation in energy sector between the two neighbouring countries through which Bangladesh will import petroleum products, especially diesel from India.
Hasina was connected from her official residence Ganabhaban while Modi was connected from his office in New Delhi.
Of the pipeline, 126.57 kilometres are in Bangladesh while the remaining 5 kilometres have been installed in India.
The BPC, the state agency under the Energy and Mineral Resources Division, has been implementing the project under a 15-year deal with India to annually import 250,000 tonnes to 400,000 tonnes of diesel from the neighbouring country through the cross-border pipeline.
The deal was signed in 2017 following the approval of the Cabinet Economic Affairs Committee on August 23.
Bangladesh annually needs to import 6.6 million tonnes to 7.7 million tonnes of diesel to meet its demand.
According to official documents, the whole consignment of petroleum will come through the cross-border pipeline from India's Numaligarh refinery, located in Golaghat in north-eastern Indian state of Assam, while Bangladesh will receive it at Parbatipur petroleum fuel depot in the north-western district of Dinajpur.
Official sources said though most part of the proposed pipeline is to be laid in the Bangladesh part, the Indian government has provided about Rs 303 crore as a loan under Indian line of credit (LOC) to build the Bangladesh portion.
Bangladesh will operate the pipeline in its part while India will operate the pipeline in its portion.
The documents also reveal that Bangladesh will annually import 250,000 tonnes in the first three years, 300,000 tonnes annually in the 4th to 6th years, 350,000 tonnes annually in the 7th to 10th years and 400,000 tonnes annually from the 11th to 15th year.
Currently, Bangladesh has been importing 22,000 tonnes of diesel per month using railway wagons.
The deal could be extended for a further period of time.
Such petroleum imports from India through cross-border pipelines will help create a stock of petroleum in the northern region to meet the growing demands in that part of the country.
Indian Ministry of External Affairs on Friday said that the operation of the Bangladesh-India Friendship Pipeline will put in place a sustainable, reliable, cost-effective and environment-friendly mode of transporting fuels from India to Bangladesh.
It will further enhance cooperation in energy security between the two countries.
This is the first cross-border energy pipeline between India and Bangladesh, built at an estimated cost of Rs 377 crore, of which the Bangladesh portion of the pipeline built at a cost of approximately Rs 285 crore, has been borne by the government of India under grant assistance.
The Pipeline has a capacity to transport 1 million tonnes per annum of High-Speed Diesel (HSD).
It will supply HSD initially to seven districts in northern Bangladesh.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Indian counterpart Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday formally inaugurated 'Indo-Bangla Friendship Pipeline'. The 131.57-kilometre cross-border pipeline was inaugurated as part of cooperation in energy sector between the two neighbouring countries...
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The Indian government allowed passenger movement between India and Bangladesh through the Mahadipur immigration check-post (ICP) in Malda after a three-year gap on Thursday.
"Authorities have provided permission for immigration through the Mahadipur ICP. We are putting all efforts so that people can again start using this route," said Malda District Magistrate Nitin Singhania, reports The Telegraph.
Movement of people resumed along the route from Mahadipur in Malda leads to Sona Masjid under the Chapainawabganj district
The movement of people and goods through this route was stopped on 15 March 2020 because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Although the border reopened on 4 June 2020, it was only for the movement of goods.
However, before the pandemic, around 200 residents of Bangladesh would enter India through Mahadipur daily.
Movement of people resumed along the route from Mahadipur in Malda leads to Sona Masjid under the Chapainawabganj district
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