Environment, forest and climate change adviser and spokesperson for Bangladesh’s interim government, Sayeeda Rizwana Hasan, speaks during a press briefing in Dhaka on August 13, 2024. | Photo credit: AFP
Syeda Rizwana Hasan, the new interim government’s adviser on water, forest, environment and climate change, said on Wednesday that Bangladesh may consider approaching an international forum to resolve the Teesta water dispute.
Referring to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s vocal stand on the Teesta, Ms. Hasan said the interim administration led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus would “vigorously” raise issues related to the rivers shared between the two countries.
Talking to reporters at the Secretariat, Ms. Hassan said, “We will not back down from presenting Bangladesh’s rights on Teesta water. You must have seen that in India, Mamata Banerjee says she will not give us water while she is depriving her own people. So we will bring forward the aspirations of our people living on the banks of Teesta.”
Advocacy for Bangladesh
Ms. Hassan has been one of Bangladesh’s greatest champions for the environment and water resources, for which she received the 2012 Magsaysay Award. She announced that Bangladesh’s new government would negotiate with New Delhi about shared rivers, including the Teesta. “The Joint River Commission is negotiating on Teesta water, but this time we will also involve people living along the Teesta in Bangladesh,” she promised.
“Whether we will get water or not is not in our hands, but we will always have to talk about this issue. We will tell India this very clearly,” Ms. Hassan said, adding that Bangladesh has agreements with India on shared rivers such as the Kushiyara and Feni. She said Dhaka and New Delhi will have to negotiate the renewal of their 1996 Ganges water sharing agreement, concluded during the now-ousted Sheikh Hasina’s first term as Bangladesh’s prime minister. The Kushiyara agreement, signed in September 2022 when Ms. Hasina visited New Delhi, was the first agreement on shared rivers after the 1996 Ganges agreement.
However, there was no progress in the Teesta talks during Ms Hasina’s 15-year tenure, which ended on August 5, when her government fell due to a massive mass movement.
‘Justified demands’
Discussing her ‘mandate’ to look after Bangladesh’s interests with regard to the shared rivers, Ms. Hassan said, “We will maintain friendly relations with India but we will put forward our claims and demands strongly and can also go to international forums to talk about our legitimate demands.” She said Bangladesh has received invitations from several countries, including China, to discuss water-related matters. “Wherever we feel necessary, we will send our interlocutor,” Ms. Hassan said.
The rivers shared between the two countries came to the fore on Wednesday when parts of eastern Bangladesh, especially Comilla and Moulvibazar, were inundated due to heavy rains in neighbouring Tripura state in the past few days.
Protests continue
Dhaka, ravaged by heavy rains on Wednesday, also witnessed dramatic protests by students, workers and shopkeepers who demanded punishment for businessmen linked to former Prime Minister Ms Hasina.
The police remained cautious and chose not to take any punitive action, while the capital witnessed chaos on the streets throughout the day due to the protests. Police forces are present on public duty without weapons and are often seen under the supervision of the army. Public emotions are still high due to the large number of casualties in police firing in the first few days of August.