Bangladesh Demands Water Guarantees and Easier Visas from India

The Government of Bangladesh is pressing India for critical concessions regarding water security and trade as the 1996 Ganges Water Treaty approaches its December expiration. Water Resources Minister Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anee announced that Dhaka will seek a guarantee clause in the treaty's renewal to ensure minimum water flow during dry seasons, a protection that existed in the 1977 agreement but was omitted from the 1996 version.

Minister Anee described the Farakka Barrage as a "death trap" and warned that Bangladesh is prepared to approach international forums to protect its water rights if a treaty is not secured. In contrast, the Ministry of External Affairs of India maintains the barrage is a diversion structure rather than a dam. While India's parliamentary standing committee on external affairs has urged the government to begin talks, the Government of India informed Parliament in February that bilateral discussions on the renewal had not yet commenced.

Parallel to water disputes, Bangladesh is seeking to rectify a trade relationship it describes as "structurally imbalanced." State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam urged India to reduce non-tariff barriers and accelerate the issuance of business visas for Bangladeshi nationals. Islam invited increased Indian investment in technology and manufacturing within Bangladesh's economic zones to create a more predictable and equitable economic partnership.