Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina stated her desire for India to carry out a $1 billion river development project, aimed at easing New Delhi’s security concerns. Although China is prepared, she expressed her preference for India to lead the project during a press conference in Dhaka on Sunday.
To improve water management along the Teesta River, China and India collaborated on a restoration and comprehensive management project. During her June visit to New Delhi, Hasina focused on the 414-kilometre Teesta River, which flows from India into Bangladesh. The Indian state of West Bengal raised objections, which caused the water-sharing agreement that was struck in 2011 to stall.
Security concerns over Chinese engineers near India’s borders prompted New Delhi to react with an offer as India postponed settling the matter. China had already put out its own solution. China conducted a feasibility study and has made an offer.
Hasina mentioned that India has also extended an offer and plans to do a feasibility assessment. She went on to say that India is her first priority because of its control over the waters of the Teesta.
