MM Rahmatullah: Bangladesh is seeking a new water-sharing agreement with India on the Ganges before the existing treaty expires on December 12, with the restoration of a guarantee clause similar to the one included in the 1977 agreement emerging as a key priority in the negotiations.

Water Resources Minister Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Anee expressed optimism that the two neighbouring countries would reach an agreement before the deadline, saying discussions were continuing through the Joint Rivers Commission (JRC).

At the same time, the government is preparing to advance two major water infrastructure projects—the Padma Barrage and the Teesta Multipurpose Project—to improve water management, support agriculture and protect communities dependent on the country`s major rivers.

The minister shared the developments with journalists after a seminar titled Rethinking the Future of Water: Youth Leadership, Justice and Cooperation, organised by the Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS) in Dhaka on Thursday.

On the Ganges treaty, Anee said the 30-year agreement signed in 1996 would expire on December 12, 2026, making a new arrangement essential to ensuring the continued sharing of the river`s water between Bangladesh and India.

"We have to conclude a new agreement before 12 December. Accordingly, Bangladesh and India are working continuously through the Joint Rivers Commission," he said.

Expressing hope for a timely agreement, the minister identified the restoration of the guarantee provision as Bangladesh`s principal objective.

"We are hopeful, based on the discussions, that the agreement will be concluded before 12 December 2026. Our main priority there will be to bring back the guarantee clause, as was present in the 1977 agreement," he said.

The proposed restoration of the guarantee clause is significant because Bangladesh`s interests in the Ganges water-sharing arrangement extend beyond the volume of water allocated on paper. The country also needs dependable arrangements to protect water availability, particularly during periods when river flows decline.

The 1977 agreement, signed during the presidency of Ziaur Rahman, included a guarantee provision concerning the availability of water to Bangladesh. The 1996 treaty that replaced the earlier arrangements did not retain the same clause.

As the current treaty approaches its expiry, the negotiations have assumed renewed importance for Bangladesh, where river water supports agriculture, fisheries, livelihoods and the wider ecological balance.

A new agreement would shape how the two countries manage the Ganges water-sharing issue in the years ahead. For Bangladesh, securing a dependable arrangement remains a major concern, particularly during the dry season, when water availability has important implications for farming and communities in the country`s southwestern region.

Alongside diplomatic negotiations, the government is moving to advance the Padma Barrage project, which the minister described as a strategic undertaking with the potential to benefit a substantial portion of the population.

Anee said the project had already received approval from the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC), an important step towards implementation.

"The work on the Padma Barrage will become visible in January, February or March next year," he said, indicating that progress could become apparent in the first quarter of 2027.

The Padma Barrage is expected to play an important role in improving water management and supporting the communities and economic activities that depend on the river. Its potential benefits extend to agriculture, irrigation and the management of water resources across parts of the country.

According to the minister, the Padma Barrage and Teesta Multipurpose Project are among the government`s major development priorities, with their combined benefits potentially reaching people across nearly one-third of Bangladesh.

However, the implementation of such large-scale infrastructure requires detailed technical assessments, planning and substantial preparation to ensure that the projects are viable and deliver their intended benefits.

Anee said the government was determined to move forward after years of delays.

He noted that the feasibility study for the Padma Barrage had taken 12 years, from 2004 to 2016, but the project had not subsequently been implemented.

After taking office, the current government moved to finalise the project within a few months and initiate the implementation process, he said.

The government is also preparing to advance the Teesta Multipurpose Project, which has long been discussed as a potential solution to water-management challenges in northern Bangladesh.

Anee said the government planned to undertake a feasibility study with support from domestic and international experts before beginning the main project work.

He described the Teesta as a fast-flowing river and highlighted the difficulties faced by communities in northern Bangladesh because of the movement of upstream water into downstream areas.

The project is expected to address wider concerns surrounding water management in the Teesta basin, where the availability and distribution of river water have significant consequences for agriculture, livelihoods and local development.

"We have discussed the master plan extensively and many seminars have been held and are still being held," the minister said.

He added that he had consulted experts from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) and assigned them responsibilities relating to the project. The government was also holding discussions with foreign experts to secure the necessary technical assistance.

"The feasibility study has to be undertaken very soon. We will start the project work on the basis of the study," Anee said.

The minister acknowledged that the feasibility study would require time but expressed the government`s intention to complete the process within 2027 and begin the main project work that year.

He emphasised that a project of this scale could not be developed without thorough technical assessment and preparation.

"Technical studies for a mega project like the Teesta cannot be completed overnight or within one or two months," he said.

Anee criticised previous administrations for failing to complete the necessary preparations with adequate technical support, saying the present government intended to take the initiative to move the process forward.

Asked whether Bangladesh was facing pressure or obstacles from external actors over the Padma Barrage and Teesta projects, the minister said the interests of people living along the rivers would remain the government`s foremost consideration.

"The people living along the Padma and Teesta are the people of our country. The interest and pressure of my country`s people are the biggest pressure for me," he said.

"Our main objective is to carry that responsibility and work for the welfare of the people."

His remarks underline the government`s stated approach of placing the needs of river-dependent communities at the centre of its water management policy.

For Bangladesh, water security is closely connected with food production, rural livelihoods, environmental sustainability and economic development. Changes in river flows can affect irrigation, agricultural output, fisheries and the availability of water for communities.

The Ganges negotiations and the proposed Padma Barrage and Teesta projects therefore represent different but interconnected aspects of the country`s efforts to manage its water resources.

While the Ganges treaty requires diplomatic engagement with India, the two infrastructure projects depend on domestic planning, technical expertise and effective implementation.

The immediate challenge for the government is to translate its stated priorities into concrete outcomes: securing a new Ganges water-sharing arrangement before December 12, advancing the Padma Barrage towards implementation and completing the Teesta project`s feasibility study within the planned timeframe.

As the deadline for the Ganges treaty approaches, the outcome of the negotiations will be closely watched in Bangladesh, where equitable and dependable access to river water remains central to the country`s long-term development ambitions.

The progress of the Padma Barrage and Teesta Multipurpose Project will also be important in determining how effectively Bangladesh can manage its rivers and protect the livelihoods of the millions of people who depend on them