Bangladesh PM Hasina talks about billion-dollar Teesta project – Firstpost

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina appears to be doing everything in her power to reduce her country’s dependence on China. Hours after cutting short her trip to Beijing and returning to Dhaka, she said she would prefer India to be chosen over China to implement a $1 billion Teesta River development project on the Bangladeshi side.

“China is ready, but I want India to do the project,” Hasina told reporters in response to a question whether she would choose India or China for the Teesta project.

“Give greater priority to India”

The Bangladeshi Prime Minister added that China had made an offer and had conducted a feasibility study. “India has also made an offer and will conduct a feasibility study,” she added.

“Once that is done, we will take whatever steps are appropriate for us. But I would give priority to India taking it up because it has blocked the Teesta waters,” Hasina said.

“India will give us what we need”

“If they have to give us water, they should implement the project. If they do, they will give us what we need,” she added.

Hasina said the project to develop the 414-km-long Teesta river basin, which flows from India to Bangladesh, has been in existence for a long time and has also featured several times in the ruling Awami League party’s manifesto.

The Teesta project also figured prominently in Hasina’s discussions with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to New Delhi in June this year.

Prime Minister Modi said an Indian technical team would soon visit Dhaka for discussions on the conservation and management of the Teesta.

India and Bangladesh share around 54 rivers and Teesta is one of them.

However, the Teesta is the only transboundary river over which India and Bangladesh have not been able to conclude a water-sharing agreement due to objections from the West Bengal government.

It is pertinent to mention here that under the Constitution of India, the consent of the state governments is mandatory for such water sharing arrangements.

In 2011, a draft agreement on sharing the Teesta waters was finalised, but it could not be signed due to opposition from West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who claimed that the treaty would leave parts of the state dry.

As India dithers over resolving the issue, China has responded with its proposal.

Earlier this year, India expressed security concerns about Chinese engineers working near its border if China got the project. New Delhi also responded by offering Bangladesh a stake in the Teesta project.

With contributions from agencies.