Chief Adviser, Muhammad Yunus has announced that the interim government will actively pursue a resolution to the longstanding Teesta water-sharing treaty dispute with India, asserting that the delay in finalising the agreement serves no beneficial purpose for either nation.
"Procrastination on this issue is futile. Even if the outcome is less than ideal, knowing how much water we will receive and finalising the agreement is preferable. This issue must be resolved," Yunus said during an interview with PTI published on Friday (6 September).
Yunus stated that the water-sharing issue between the two countries must be resolved in accordance with international norms. He underscored the rights of lower riparian countries like Bangladesh, which are crucial to address.
When asked whether the interim government would expedite the resolution of the Teesta water-sharing treaty, Yunus responded that while the new administration would pursue the matter, the term "push" was too strong.
"We will pursue it, but it requires mutual discussions and resolution," he added.
A deal on the Teesta water-sharing was initially planned for signing during former Indan prime minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Dhaka in 2011.
However, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee refused to endorse it, citing water scarcity concerns in her state.
Yunus remarked that the issue is not new and has been a subject of discussion since the period of Pakistan's rule.
He noted that while the Indian government had been prepared to finalise the treaty, the West Bengal state government had been unwilling. He reiterated that the issue needs to be resolved in line with international standards.
His comments follow those of the interim government's adviser on Water Resources, Syeda Rizwana Hasan, who recently stated that Dhaka would advocate for reopening dialogue with New Delhi on the Teesta treaty, stressing adherence to international water-sharing principles.
Addressing the flood situation in Bangladesh, Yunus suggested that a humanitarian approach could alleviate the crisis until the treaty is signed. He proposed working together on flood management without the need for a formal treaty, aiming to ease the suffering of those affected.
Recent monsoon-triggered floods in Bangladesh and upstream Indian regions have resulted in numerous fatalities and displaced nearly three million people in Bangladesh, posing a significant challenge for the new interim government amid the ongoing political transition.
India has refuted claims from Bangladesh that the current floods are due to the opening of a dam on the Gumti River in Tripura. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in New Delhi stated that floods in shared rivers are a "shared" issue requiring cooperative resolution.
On the contentious issue of border killings, Yunus condemned the practice, describing it as "callousness" and insisting that legal mechanisms should address border issues.
He criticised the use of lethal force, noting that border deaths often result from alleged infiltrators or smuggling attempts.
India's Border Security Force (BSF) has reported instances of Bangladeshi smugglers and infiltrators crossing the border and attacking Indian forces.
The issue has been raised with the Bangladesh counterpart, the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), multiple times. The border shared by West Bengal, Tripura, Meghalaya, Assam, and Mizoram extends over 3,796 kilometres in total.
