Sunday, 09 March, 2025
Officials from the Joint Rivers Commission (JRC) have convened to discuss the distribution of water from shared rivers between India and Bangladesh amid ongoing tensions.
The two-day meeting began on Thursday in Kolkata, with Mohammad Abul Hossen leading the 11-member Bangladesh delegation.
The Indian team is headed by Sharad Chandra, the Commissioner for Flood Management in India.
Water Resources Secretary Nazmul Ahsan said: “It’s a regular JRC meeting, held between Bangladesh and India in turns. According to that, it’s being held in Kolkata this time.”
“[The meeting will discuss] progress in the ongoing activities between us and advancing work in different locations,” he added.
After the fall of the Awami League regime on Aug 5 in the face of the mass uprising, Muhammad Yunus took over as chief advisor of the interim government.
As Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina fled to India, several senior leaders of the party were arrested, but most of them remain in hiding.
Meanwhile, the interim government moved to put Hasina and her accomplices on trial at the International Crimes Tribunal on charges of “mass killings” carried out in their effort to thwart the movement by students and mass people.
Hasina, who is still in India, has multiple arrest warrants against her.
On December 23, the interim government sent a "diplomatic letter" to its Indian counterpart requesting the return of Hasina to Bangladesh under an "extradition deal."
Hasina’s departure from Bangladesh has strained relations between the neighboring countries, with the interim government accusing her of attempting to "destabilize" the India-Bangladesh relationship.
Additionally, the interim government has blamed the Indian media for spreading "falsehoods and misinformation."
In contrast, the Indian government has expressed concerns over the safety of religious minorities in Bangladesh and has urged the country to take necessary steps to ensure their security.
Amid these tensions, both governments have summoned diplomats to address border-related issues and Hasina’s statements. The JRC meeting is being viewed as a critical step in normalizing bilateral relations.
Meanwhile, a Bangladeshi team recently visited the Farakka Barrage area as part of a routine gauging trip to assess whether India is adhering to the water-sharing provisions of the Ganga Treaty.
Nazmul explained, “For instance, border operations require coordination between BGB and BSF. If we need to work within 150 meters [of the zero point], we must seek mutual consent. Some of these issues are being addressed through ongoing discussions.”
He further highlighted that similar issues had been successfully resolved in the past while working on the Feni River. Some matters are currently being handled by the JRC’s "lower-level" teams.
“Our technical committee is one step above that, followed by a secretary-level committee, and ultimately, a ministerial advisory committee. Therefore, we can say this is still in its very initial stages,” he noted.
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Officials from the Joint Rivers Commission (JRC) have convened to discuss the distribution of water from shared rivers between India and Bangladesh amid ongoing tensions.
The two-day meeting began on Thursday in Kolkata, with Mohammad Abul Hossen leading the 11-member Bangladesh delegation.
The Indian team is headed by Sharad Chandra, the Commissioner for Flood Management in India.
Water Resources Secretary Nazmul Ahsan said: “It’s a regular JRC meeting, held between Bangladesh and India in turns. According to that, it’s being held in Kolkata this time.”
“[The meeting will discuss] progress in the ongoing activities between us and advancing work in different locations,” he added.
After the fall of the Awami League regime on Aug 5 in the face of the mass uprising, Muhammad Yunus took over as chief advisor of the interim government.
As Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina fled to India, several senior leaders of the party were arrested, but most of them remain in hiding.
Meanwhile, the interim government moved to put Hasina and her accomplices on trial at the International Crimes Tribunal on charges of “mass killings” carried out in their effort to thwart the movement by students and mass people.
Hasina, who is still in India, has multiple arrest warrants against her.
On December 23, the interim government sent a "diplomatic letter" to its Indian counterpart requesting the return of Hasina to Bangladesh under an "extradition deal."
Hasina’s departure from Bangladesh has strained relations between the neighboring countries, with the interim government accusing her of attempting to "destabilize" the India-Bangladesh relationship.
Additionally, the interim government has blamed the Indian media for spreading "falsehoods and misinformation."
In contrast, the Indian government has expressed concerns over the safety of religious minorities in Bangladesh and has urged the country to take necessary steps to ensure their security.
Amid these tensions, both governments have summoned diplomats to address border-related issues and Hasina’s statements. The JRC meeting is being viewed as a critical step in normalizing bilateral relations.
Meanwhile, a Bangladeshi team recently visited the Farakka Barrage area as part of a routine gauging trip to assess whether India is adhering to the water-sharing provisions of the Ganga Treaty.
Nazmul explained, “For instance, border operations require coordination between BGB and BSF. If we need to work within 150 meters [of the zero point], we must seek mutual consent. Some of these issues are being addressed through ongoing discussions.”
He further highlighted that similar issues had been successfully resolved in the past while working on the Feni River. Some matters are currently being handled by the JRC’s "lower-level" teams.
“Our technical committee is one step above that, followed by a secretary-level committee, and ultimately, a ministerial advisory committee. Therefore, we can say this is still in its very initial stages,” he noted.
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