Recently, Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressed a preference for India to carry out the $1 billion Teesta River development project to address India’s national security concerns.
According to Bloomberg on Monday, Hasina stated at a press conference in the Bangladeshi capital of Dhaka on Sunday that, “China is ready, but I hope India will undertake this project.”
Sheikh Hasina added, “China has made a proposal to us and conducted a feasibility study. India has also made a proposal and will conduct a feasibility study. But I would lean more towards having India execute this project because India already controls the waters of the Teesta River.” This is an initiative led by Bangladesh aimed at better managing the waters of the Teesta River, and both China and India are vying for influence in Bangladesh through this comprehensive governance project.
The Teesta River flows from India into Bangladesh, spanning 414 kilometers (257.25 miles) in length. In June of this year, during Hasina’s visit to India, the development plans for the river basin played a significant role in discussions between officials from both countries. Both India and Bangladesh share many rivers that flow from the Himalayas into the Bay of Bengal.
In 2011, an agreement was reached between the two sides on sharing the waters of the Teesta River, however, it failed to materialize due to opposition from the Indian state of West Bengal in the east (where the Teesta River flows through before entering Bangladesh).
Due to India’s indecisiveness in resolving this issue, China has put forth its own proposal. India, citing security concerns regarding Chinese engineers working near its border, recently presented its own proposal.
This ongoing dialogue highlights the complexities and geopolitical interests at play in the management of transboundary rivers such as the Teesta, and the decisions made will have significant implications for all parties involved.