B’desh hopeful of sealing Teesta deal

Bangladesh on Friday said it was cautiously optimistic about the two countries sealing the Teesta water sharing pact during the forthcoming visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Dhaka next week and pushed for the neighbours to arrive at an effective mechanism for joint river basin management.

Bangladesh high commissioner to India Syed Moazzem Ali said any tweaking in the watersharing formula would require fresh consultations, adding India had not conveyed any such plans to Bangladesh.

Modi will be in Bangladesh on June 6 and 7 for a packed 36-hour visit.

“I am cautiously optimistic about it,” Ali told reporters when asked about the two countries signing the pact during the forthcoming visit.

He said both countries had agreed on the “quantum of water to be shared” in 2011.

When asked about whether Dhaka would agree to any formula by which it did not get 50% water, he said, “The water-sharing formula was agreed upon in 2011. What you are talking about could be part of the internal process. But the Indian government has not told us anything on it and this would require a fresh round of consultations,” he said.

The envoy also said the two countries should focus on joint river basin management. India and Bangladesh share 54 rivers but only the Ganges water-sharing agreement exists between them.

The envoy added that Modi’s visit would give a leg up to his Act East policy in terms of connectivity and economic development of N-E states.