[🇧🇩] India's Water Terrorism Against Bangladesh

[Saif]

ভারত থেকে নেমে আসা পানির ঢলেই বাংলাদেশে বন্যা, জাতিসং'ঘের বিবৃতি

 

[Saif]

[H3]ভারতের দাবি মানতে নারাজ বৈষম্যবিরোধী ছাত্র আন্দোলন[/H3]

 

[Saif]

Dhaka must shore up sharing common river info with Delhi

INDIA’S denial to convey minimum information on the 54 common rivers that it shares with Bangladesh and its arbitrarily obstructing water flow on numerous locations upstream with dams and barrages have all along exposed Bangladesh to devastating flooding. Such controls of dams and barrages...

www.newagebd.net

Dhaka must shore up sharing common river info with Delhi
29 August, 2024, 00:00

INDIA’S denial to convey minimum information on the 54 common rivers that it shares with Bangladesh and its arbitrarily obstructing water flow on numerous locations upstream with dams and barrages have all along exposed Bangladesh to devastating flooding. Such controls of dams and barrages upstream in contravention of the international laws have negatively affected the water flow of the rivers downstream, leaving an adverse impact on agriculture and fishing in Bangladesh. The situation also triggers droughts during the dry season when India holds water and waves of flooding during the monsoon season when India opens the stop gates. One such continued happening is the River Teesta which causes drought, gradually leading to the desertification of Bangladesh’s north, and almost routinely causes flooding as India controls the water flow of the river in the Brahmaputra basin with its Gazaldoba barrage upstream. Even in the latest spell of flooding, India’s reported release of water from its hydroelectric project at Dumboor in Tripura amidst a spell of extreme rainfall is said to have compounded the situation. India is also alleged not to have conveyed information on the release of water to Bangladesh authorities in time.

India shares with Bangladesh only information on water levels of eight common rivers, as the Joint River Commission that was set up in 1972 for common river management to mutual benefits says, keeping to the consensus reached at the third meeting of the commission after its beginning five decades ago. India has constructed more than a hundred structures on the Ganges alone without ever having cared to seek Bangladesh’s consent or to provide Bangladesh with information on the structures. India has not also shared information on the management of the stop gates on the Farakka Barrage, erected on the Ganges basin only 18 kilometres off Bangladesh despite having a sharing agreement on the water of the river since 1996. India is even additionally blamed for having regularly violated the agreement. International laws, which treat rivers as a resource that must be taken care of all along its course and must not be divided, could be a remedy as they are premised on an equitable, just and fair share of water and sediment in rivers. The UN Convention on the Law of the Non-navigational Uses of International Watercourses prohibits any action by a country that can bear social and economic consequences for peoples and other states. But Bangladesh has yet to ratify the international convention, which experts say has happened because of subservient policies of successive governments which became highly capitualistic towards India during the authoritarian regime of the Awami League, which was overthrown through a student-mass uprising on August 5.

Bangladesh must, in such a situation, shore up issues of the sharing of information on common rivers with India. It must also ratify the international convention related to international watercourses paving the way for a legal remedy of the situation. It must also see whether Joint River Commission and Water Development Board officials have been negligent in carrying out the duty.​

 

[Saif]

Integrated joint management of 54 rivers must to save Bangladesh from disasters: International Farakka Committee

The International Farakka Committee (IFC) has called for an agreement for integrated joint management of all rivers shared with India in view of the devastating floods that have hit the southeast, east, northeast and north regions of Bangladesh, affecting hundreds of millions of people. In a joint

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Integrated joint management of 54 rivers must to save Bangladesh from disasters: International Farakka Committee
UNB
Published :
Aug 29, 2024 21:57
Updated :
Aug 29, 2024 21:57

The International Farakka Committee (IFC) has called for an agreement for integrated joint management of all rivers shared with India in view of the devastating floods that have hit the southeast, east, northeast and north regions of Bangladesh, affecting hundreds of millions of people.

In a joint statement, the IFC leaders said that this time the Ministry of External Affairs of India has given an explanatory reply after many days to the allegations of the unusual floods in Gumti and the opening of the sluice gates of the Farakka Barrage.

Regarding Gumti, they said the opening of the gates of Dumbur Dam in Tripura cannot be blamed for severe floods caused by heavy rains. On the other hand, regarding the Ganga, they said that opening the gates of the Farakka Barrage and releasing the flood water caused by heavy rain upstream into the ‘Ganga/Padma’ river is a normal development during the wet season.

There was no statement about the Teesta, although two or three waves of severe floods in the basin of this river cause not only crop loss in Bangladesh every monsoon, but thousands of families are also left homeless due to the breach of the banks.

However, during the dry season, the entire Teesta water is being diverted from West Bengal’s Gazal Doba Barrage.

On the Gumti floods, India’s think tank, SANDRP (South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People), said the flood would have been less severe had the release of water from the reservoir above Tripura’s Dumbur dam started at least two days before the water level crossed the danger level.

In this regard, they have raised the question of negligence or human error. Moreover, it was not possible to transmit flood warning messages for two days due to the lack of electricity in the water measuring station located downstream of the dam due to the flood. That means Bangladesh did not receive the warning message on time.

The IFC said that this flood disaster was not only caused by global warming but also by negligence/error in taking timely action.

The only way to reduce the disaster in the downstream country as a result of such human error in the upstream country is joint management from the origin of the river to its outfall into the sea. This is the opinion of all water experts in the world today.

Of the 54 shared rivers that flow through Bangladesh and India, there is an agreement only on the Ganges, that too on the basis of an outdated notion of water sharing at the border. The agreement will expire in 2026.

The two countries have been talking about an agreement on the Teesta for the past 13 years. But practically nothing happens.

The situation is such that Bangladesh has to take flood water in monsoon, but it has no right to water in the dry season. International law does not support this.

The IFC leaders have called on the Bangladesh government to take initiatives for integrated basin-wide joint management of 54 rivers to save the country from disasters.

The joint statement was signed by IFC New York Chairman Sayed Tipu Sultan, General Secretary Mohammad Hossain Khan and Organizing Secretary Ataur Rahman Ata; IFC Bangladesh President Prof. Dr Jasim Uddin Ahmad, General Secretary Syed Irfanul Bari and IFC Coordinator Mostafa Kamal Majumder.​

 

[Saif]

People\ from India have raised their voice against Farakka barrage as it is playing havoc with the ecological balance of Bihar and West Bengal. Will the Indian Govt. tear down Farakka barrage to save Bihar?

 

[Saif]

Can India do whatever it wants with common rivers?

Floods have swept across all the districts in the eastern hilly regions of the country over the past few days. The situation in Feni, Comilla, Noakhali, and the hill districts is devastating. While heavy rainfall is a significant cause of these floods, India cannot evade responsibility for the...

en.prothomalo.com

Can India do whatever it wants with common rivers?
Tuhin Wadud
Published: 30 Aug 2024, 12: 41

Floods have swept across all the districts in the eastern hilly regions of the country over the past few days. The situation in Feni, Comilla, Noakhali, and the hill districts is devastating. While heavy rainfall is a significant cause of these floods, India cannot evade responsibility for the damage. There are dams and barrages on the Gumti and Muhuri rivers. On the one hand there was heavy rainfall and on the other the sudden release of water without prior notice has caused immense damage to Bangladesh. India, however, does not feel the need to inform Bangladesh in advance.

According to the United Nations International Watercourses Convention, an upstream country has to discuss with the downstream country for constructing infrastructure on the common rivers. If an upstream country constructs infrastructure that causes harm to the downstream country, it is required to provide compensation for any damage. India has done neither. India as an upstream country cannot do whatever it wishes. Moreover, it is against the norms of good neighborliness.

Discussions on Bangladesh-India transboundary or shared rivers are virtually non-existent. Bangladesh’s foreign policy on river issues remains subservient, and there is a lack of diplomatic effort. Whatever India has wanted to impose on Bangladesh in the past has been accepted by every previous government.

I have never heard any government official speak out against India’s anti-Bangladesh water policies. A few advisors of the interim government have voiced concerns, but those must be specific.

No office in Bangladesh knows the exact number of Bangladesh-India trans boundary rivers. The commonly accepted figure is 54, but this is just the recognized count. The number of unrecognized rivers could exceed 200. In my book, "Responsibility in River Protection," I mentioned 69 rivers that are not included in the recognized list. We must first ascertain the actual number of these rivers to negotiate with India on transboundary rivers.

None of India’s actions regarding rivers as an upstream country prove that it is a friend of Bangladesh. In some cases, it seems many times as if India wishes for Bangladesh's demise.

I want to mention an incident from October 2021. At that time, there was no rain in Bangladesh. One night, India opened all the gates of the Teesta Barrage at Gajoldoba in West Bengal. This sudden release caused unprecedented damage to Bangladesh during the off-season. No protest was made by Bangladesh. While it is natural for water to flow downstream when there is rain upstream, the method in which the water is released is inhumane.

There is a Teesta Irrigation Project in Dalia, Nilphamari. Although it was designed to irrigate 111,000 hectares of land, it has never been possible to cultivate more than 90,000 hectares. In 2014, only 65,000 hectares were cultivated.

Before 2014, the water that flowed into the Teesta every year was partially used to maintain the river's flow, with the remaining water used for cultivation. In 2014, India unilaterally withdrew all the water. The cries of the farmers under the irrigation project that year did not reach Dhaka, let alone Delhi. Since 2014, India has tried almost every year to withdraw 100pc of the water.

When rivers are dammed upstream in India to hold back water, it causes two types of damage downstream. During heavy rainfall, they suddenly open all the gates, causing the violent current to damage houses, trees, ponds, and the river itself. In the dry season, when there is no water in the river, the groundwater level drops significantly. This disrupts the normal structure of the soil on the riverbanks. When water flows in with great force during the monsoon, erosion is much more severe than under normal conditions.

The unilateral withdrawal of water from the Teesta River was a test case. India wanted to see how Bangladesh would react if all the water from a river was withdrawn. The previous government did not protest India's actions, so now they are working on withdrawing water from the Dharla River. They plan to divert the Dharla's water to the Teesta. India will also withdraw water from the intermediary rivers between the Dharla and the Teesta.

Bangladesh has not yet taken the necessary steps to seek legal redress. In 1997, the United Nations passed a Watercourses Convention, which stated that the convention would come into effect once 35 countries ratified it.

After the 34th country ratified it, the convention remained in limbo for a long time. Bangladesh highly needs this convention. Yet, Bangladesh has not ratified it till date. The convention came into force in 2014 when Vietnam became the 35th country to ratify it. Unfortunately, Bangladesh has still not participated in it. By ratifying the convention, Bangladesh has the opportunity to seek redress through the United Nations.

It is unacceptable that different rivers in the country will continue to suffer various types of damage, and Bangladesh will merely stand by and watch.

Therefore, it is essential to establish basin-based and rights-based bilateral management for each of the approximately 200 shared rivers. If India does not agree, Bangladesh must seek redress through the United Nations as per the International Watercourses Convention.

*Tuhin Wadud is a professor at the Department of Bengali at Begum Rokeya University and the director of the river protection organization Riverine People.​

 

[Saif]

Teesta water issue has to be solved

Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus has emphasised the need to resolve the longstanding transboundary river water-sharing issue between India and Bangladesh in line with international norms.

www.thedailystar.net

Teesta water issue has to be solved
Says Yunus, calls for humanitarian approach to flood management

Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus has emphasised the need to resolve the longstanding transboundary river water-sharing issue between India and Bangladesh in line with international norms.

In the second part of the interview with Press Trust of India, conducted at the CA's official residence in Dhaka last Sunday, Yunus said lower riparian countries like Bangladesh have specific rights that must be respected.

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The second part of the interview was released yesterday.

The chief adviser said Bangladesh's interim government would continue working with India to resolve differences over the long-pending Teesta water-sharing treaty, which has been in limbo since 2011.

"By sitting over this issue [water sharing], it is not serving any purpose. If I know how much water I will get, even if I am not happy and sign it, it would be better. This issue has to be resolved."

Asked about the interim government's stance on fast-tracking the Teesta treaty, Yunus clarified, "Push is a strong word. I wouldn't say we will push, but we will pursue it. Both sides need to sit down and settle it."

The Teesta water-sharing agreement has faced opposition from West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who has cited water shortages in her state's northern region.

Yunus acknowledged the complexity of the situation, noting that while the Indian central government was prepared to finalise the deal, the state government's resistance has held it back. "This issue predates Bangladesh's independence. It's time to finalise it."

He proposed a humanitarian approach to manage flood crises, even in the absence of a formal treaty between Bangladesh and India.

"When the Indian high commissioner met with me, I suggested better coordination to control flood situations. This can be done on humanitarian grounds, without needing a treaty. Such cooperation would ease the suffering of the people," the chief adviser said.

On the contentious issue of border killings, Yunus strongly condemned the deaths of Bangladeshi citizens along the India-Bangladesh border.

"Killing is not a solution. There are legal avenues for dealing with border issues. Those being shot are not invaders but couriers. This is sheer callousness, and it must stop."

'WILL TRY TO MEET MODI'

Yunus said he will try to meet Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session in New York later this month.

He also revealed his plans to gather the heads of the SAARC nations for a symbolic photo opportunity.

"SAARC was formed for a great cause. It now exists only on paper and is not functioning. We have forgotten the name of SAARC; I am trying to revive the spirit of SAARC."

The chief adviser said South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) has not held a summit for a long time, and pointed out the potential benefits of renewed cooperation among the member countries.

"The SAARC summit has not taken place for quite a long time. If we come together, a lot of problems will be resolved," he said.

Modi is expected to address the UNGA on September 26, according to a provisional list of speakers issued by the UN.

Yunus emphasised the need to revive the "spirit of SAARC", stating that the eight-member bloc holds the potential to address many of the region's pressing issues.

SAARC comprises Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.

Drawing a comparison with the European Union, Yunus noted, "The European countries have achieved a lot through the European Union. We have to ensure that SAARC works…. If there is a problem regarding Pakistan, other ways can be worked out. But the functioning of SAARC must not stop."

On the Rohingya crisis, the chief adviser called for assistance from India and China in convincing Myanmar to repatriate the displaced population.​