Dhaka seeks joint management of Brahmaputra with Delhi, Beijing

DHAKA - Bangladesh has proposed a “joint basin-wise management” of the Brahmaputra that also flows through China and India and poses serious problems of flooding in the three countries.

“We have made a proposal to China to develop a joint basin-wise management for Brahmaputra river. They have described it as a good proposal. We have also made the proposal to India,” Foreign Minister Dipu Moni told media Monday.

“Both the countries are weighing the idea.”

“The two sides (Bangladesh and China) discussed the need for regular exchange of information and consultation on the use of the water resources of river Yarluzangbu/Brahmaputra to ensure sustainable and mutually beneficial cooperation in this regard,” said the joint communiqu issued in Beijing March 19 on the concluding day of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to the country.

Brahmaputra poses serious problems for the three nations. The 2,900 km long river originates in southwestern Tibet in China and flows through Arunachal Pradesh and Assam in India before entering Bangladesh to meet the Padma.

The river is an important source for irrigation and transport.

Diversions of large amounts of water, above a certain threshold level, from the Brahmaputra river upstream in China and India could disrupt the lean season flows, trigger environmental catastrophe and salinity ingress and adversely impact the livelihoods of the people downstream in Bangladesh, according to regional experts.

Dhaka and Delhi have a pact on the sharing of the Ganga waters and, last week, they resumed talks on the sharing of the Teesta, which is another major water system.

Dipu Moni said the March 17-19 ministerial level meeting of the Joint Rivers Commission (JRC) between Bangladesh and India showed progress towards signing of an interim agreement on the Teesta river.

“The JRC needs to exchange more information and data,” she said.