Dhaka, March 1 – An 11-member Bangladeshi delegation is set to visit India on Monday for discussions on the renewal of the Ganga Water Treaty, which is due for renegotiation in 2026. The 30-year-old treaty, originally signed in 1996, governs the sharing of waters of the trans-boundary Ganges River between the two neighboring countries.
Meeting of Technical Experts
India and Bangladesh will hold the 86th meeting of the Joint Committee of Technical Experts next week to deliberate on the treaty's renewal. According to reports, the Bangladeshi delegation will be led by Muhammad Abul Hossen, a member of the Joint River Commission (JRC).As per The Daily Star, the team will arrive in Kolkata on March 3 and immediately proceed for a two-day visit to the joint observation site on the Ganges at Farakka, which will last until the morning of March 5. The delegation will then return to Kolkata for a two-day meeting under the India-Bangladesh Joint River Commission on March 6-7.
Framework for Water Sharing
India and Bangladesh share 54 rivers, and the Joint Rivers Commission was established in 1972 as a bilateral mechanism to address transboundary river issues. The Ganga Water Treaty was signed on December 12, 1996, by then Indian Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda and Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.During Hasina’s last visit to India in June 2024, both sides confirmed the commencement of technical negotiations for the renewal of the treaty, emphasizing its importance for sustainable water resource management.
With the treaty set to expire in 2026, these discussions will be crucial in determining the future course of Indo-Bangladesh water-sharing agreements.
