River linking project

Needless to say, the whole concept of efficient water management in India through linking its major rivers has not only evinced a keen interest of the people of Bangladesh, it is viewed with a deep sense of wariness and consternation, given the harmful potential the project can have for us. Not only does the project raise serious concerns in Bangladesh, opinion in India is also divided on the implementibility of the multi-billion dollar project, as also on its fallout on the environment.

Experts opine that the one thing that will be in short supply in the near future is water. Ironically, we in Bangladesh suffer from too little water as well as too much of it. It thus calls for appropriate and long-term measures to manage a resource that will become scarcer by the day.

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We feel that there is an urgent need for Bangladesh to manage the excess runoff in peak times so that dry season shortfall can be made up. It is for Bangladesh, being at the receiving end of the excess and scarcity of water, to take the lead in formulating plans for the mitigation of this problem. Needless to say, that would require the active support and cooperation of all the neighbouring countries, particularly those with whom we share the rivers. This is where the philosophy of active multilateralism as well as regional and sub-regional perspective can come into play in the most appropriate way.

We look forward to the participation of the Indian irrigation minister in the next JRC meeting due next October in Dhaka, and hope that the very welcome step of mutual discussions, should be carried on to the stage of mutual agreement before water management projects that have trans-border ramifications are implemented.