Bangladesh
Bangladesh seeks stronger guarantees in new Ganges water-sharing pact
Bangladesh’s water resources minister said the government wants a longer-term Ganges water-sharing arrangement with India, including a guarantee clause to protect dry-season flows. The existing 1996 treaty approaches its December expiry. Talks have not yet produced a signed replacement, making both the timing and the proposed safeguards politically significant.
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From 9 October 2026 — Daily Brief
Bangladesh wants any successor to its Ganges water-sharing treaty with India to include stronger protection for the river’s dry-season flows, Water Resources Minister Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Anee said on 8 October.
The minister outlined the government’s preference for a new or substantially revised agreement of longer duration rather than a straightforward extension of the 1996 arrangement. A guarantee clause, he argued, could help protect Bangladesh’s minimum requirements during periods of low flow.
The existing treaty is approaching its expiry in December, creating a diplomatic deadline for the neighbouring countries. The minister expressed hope that a replacement could be negotiated before that date, but no final text or completed agreement was announced.
How water is shared during the dry season matters for downstream agriculture, navigation and ecosystems. The public discussion centres not only on the volume available but also on whether a revised treaty would include enforceable safeguards when conditions are difficult.
Source reporting: BSS · Dhaka Tribune · The Business Standard