The BNP directly criticised Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress government for obstructing progress on the pact, arguing that the BJP’s win under Suvendu Adhikari’s leadership opens new possibilities for cooperation between Dhaka and Kolkata.
BNP Information Secretary Azizul Baree Helal praised the BJP’s performance and said the relationship between Bangladesh and West Bengal would continue positively.
He linked the electoral outcome to hopes of movement on the Teesta Barrage project, noting that Mamata Banerjee had been the main impediment to its implementation.
In his view, the BJP government in West Bengal, working in step with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration, could finally deliver on the agreement long sought by Bangladesh.
Helal emphasised that West Bengal shares the longest border with Bangladesh among Indian states, making its political alignment crucial for bilateral relations. He described the BJP’s victory as a positive development that could strengthen ties and accelerate cooperation on cross-border issues.
He reiterated that despite ideological differences between the BNP and BJP, both sides are united on matters such as the Teesta Barrage and broader India-Bangladesh relations.
The Teesta dispute remains one of the most contentious unresolved issues in water-sharing between the two countries. While the 1996 Ganga Water Treaty governs the sharing of water at the Farakka Barrage, Bangladesh has long complained that insufficient water is released during lean months, affecting agriculture and livelihoods downstream. Climate change has further complicated the issue, with declining water availability intensifying disputes. The treaty itself is set to expire later this year, adding urgency to negotiations.
Efforts to reach a Teesta agreement have repeatedly faltered. During Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit to Dhaka in 2011, a proposal was made to allocate 37.5 per cent of Teesta waters to Bangladesh and 42.5 per cent to India, but opposition from West Bengal blocked the plan.
An earlier ad hoc arrangement in 1983 had envisaged Bangladesh receiving 36 per cent and India 39 per cent, with the remainder undecided, but this was never fully implemented. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 2015 visit to Dhaka also raised expectations, but differences persisted.
India and Bangladesh share 54 rivers, yet only two treaties have been signed—the Ganga Waters Treaty and the Kushiyara River Treaty. Other rivers, including the Teesta and the Feni, remain under negotiation.
For Bangladesh, securing a fair share of Teesta waters is critical for its agricultural sector, particularly in the northern districts where water scarcity has become acute. The BNP now hopes that the BJP’s rise in West Bengal will remove political obstacles and pave the way for an equitable settlement.
Helal’s remarks underscore the BNP’s belief that the BJP’s victory could mark a turning point in bilateral relations. By framing Mamata Banerjee as the key obstacle and Suvendu Adhikari as a potential facilitator, the BNP has positioned the change in West Bengal’s political landscape as an opportunity to resolve one of the most enduring disputes between India and Bangladesh.
The party’s optimism reflects both strategic calculation and the pressing need to secure water resources for Bangladesh’s future.
IT
