China to Lend $1 Billion To Bangladesh For Teesta River Project

Dhaka : The Teesta river dispute between India and Bangladesh is old. The Teesta river originates from the state of Sikkim in India and joins the Jamuna (Brahmaputra) river of Bangladesh via West Bengal. About one crore people in five districts of Sikkim and North West Bengal depend on this river. On the other hand, the large population of Bangladesh is also dependent on it.

Now it is being claimed that China will give USD 1 billion loan to Afghanistan for the Teesta river project to maintain levels in the Teesta River during the drought season after efforts to approve a water-sharing deal with India failed, government officials said.

“A massive project funded by China has been adopted for the management of the Teesta River and China has agreed to fund it. Hopefully, we can start the project by December,” Jyoti Prosad Ghosh, an additional chief engineer at the Water Development Board, which falls under the Ministry of Water Resources, told BenarNews.

The Teesta project, which is estimated to cost $983 million, is one of nine projects where officials in Dhaka have sought $6 billion from China on top of a previous $22 billion in loans from the superpower, as Beijing expands its footprint in the South Asian nation largely through the construction of infrastructure works.

“The Teesta River’s width varies between one kilometer and five kilometers at different places. So, we will narrow the width of the river to one kilometer all along and enhance the depth of the river to at least 10 meters so it can hold more water,” Ghosh said.

While the river floods during the monsoon season, it runs nearly dry between November and February each year.

54 rivers flow between India & Bangladesh. Bangladesh has been demanding for a long time that there should be a comprehensive agreement on all these rivers.

A few days ago, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee met. Where there was talk about the Teesta River between the two countries. At the same time, the High Commissioner of Bangladesh had met the Chief Minister of Sikkim Prem Singh Tamang. Sikkim is also connected to the Teesta River.

Bangladesh’s High Commissioner to India Syed Muazzam Ali says that the Teesta River either dries up or floods. In recent days, the water level in the river has decreased due to which there is a problem in shipping. It is therefore important that both countries resolve the issue through dialogue. The division of the Teesta River in the opposite season is the solution to the same problem.

On the other hand, West Bengal opposes this agreement, saying that the water in the Teesta river is decreasing and when there is not enough water, what is the meaning of the partition?

At the same time, Bangladesh argues that whatever water is in the river, it should be divided equally between the two countries.

Sikkim and West Bengal have run several dams and electric water projects in the Teesta River. Apart from this, it has also constructed canals for irrigation. Due to this, the water in the river is decreasing.

The water of Teesta River reaches West Bengal and then Bangladesh via Sikkim. During this time, the river Teesta is used in many dams and water projects.