Bangladesh and China Sign 13 Agreements on River Management

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and Chinese officials agreed on June 25, 2026, to deepen cooperation on the management of the Teesta and other rivers during a five-day visit to China. In meetings with Premier Li Qiang and Water Resources Minister Li Guoying in Beijing, Rahman requested technical assistance for river excavation, flood-risk mitigation, riverbank erosion prevention, irrigation improvement, and inland water navigation.

As part of the visit, the two nations signed 13 memoranda of understanding to bolster bilateral ties across the economic, digital, and infrastructure sectors. Minister Li Guoying assured full cooperation and invited Bangladeshi experts to receive training in China, noting that the partnership is based on a 2005 Memorandum of Understanding.

This strategic outreach occurs as water-sharing remains a sensitive issue between Bangladesh and India, specifically with the 1996 Ganges Water Treaty set to expire this year. The Teesta project is geopolitically significant due to its proximity to India's Siliguri Corridor. India previously offered its own technical assistance for the basin in 2024 to maintain a central role in transboundary management.