Water talks open in Delhi today
Sharing of Teesta waters high on joint experts committee agenda
Reaz Ahmad
Bangladesh and India begin two-day water talks in New Delhi today hoping to make major strides in long-term water sharing arrangements of seven of the 54 rivers that criss-cross the countries. Water resources secretaries of both Bangladesh and India will lead the meeting of the Indo-Bangla Joint Committee of Experts (JCE) with focus on sharing of the Teesta, Dharla, Dudhkumar, Monu, Muhuri, Khowai and Gumti waters, officials in Dhaka told The Daily Star yesterday. Of the seven rivers on the JCE agenda, priority will be attached to sharing of the Teesta waters, sources added. The coriparian countries have so far struck water-sharing treaty on only one river -- the Ganges -- in 1996, while talks continued on the seven for years. Headed by water resources secretaries of the two nations, the JCE is an expert-level supportive body under the Indo-Bangla Joint Rivers Commission (JRC). The 36th JRC meeting, slated for a January 16 start in Dhaka, was postponed at Indian request, paving way for the JCE meeting to precede the JRC meeting. Water Resources Minister Hafiz Uddin Ahmed told The Daily Star recently that Dhaka and New Delhi would reset the postponed meeting of the JRC, headed by water resources ministers of the neighbouring nations, after the JCE meeting. Talking to The Daily Star on Sunday night, Tawhidul Anwar Khan, member of both the JRC and JCE, hoped that the sixth JCE meeting would try to make major progress in Teesta water-sharing. "I'm an optimist, but I don't like to be over-optimist." Officials in Dhaka said if the JCE succeeded in agreeing to a draft interim agreement on Teesta waters, the JRC would translate the draft into an accord in line with the landmark Ganges water-sharing agreement signed by the nations seven years ago. The last JRC meeting, held in the Indian capital in last September after a break of over two years, was in the heart of media attention because of heightening debates over Bangla-desh's reservations about controversial Indian giant river-link project. Tawhidul, Director General of Bangladesh Water Development Board Mukhlesuzzaman and a number of water experts would assist the water resources secretary in the JCE talks. Indian Water Resources Secretary AK Goswami will lead the Indian side.
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