A NATIONAL daily report said on Saturday that the Teesta river at Lalmonirhat has dried up affecting the livelihood of people particularly fishermen and boatmen on the bank of the river. The seasonal boro plantation is also facing setback in want of water; that the river would supply the region. Teesta used to flow round the year but nowadays there is not enough water for agriculture and fishing. Sand dunes are engulfing riverbeds; water flowing through narrow channels at places. Tubewells in the region are failing to reach groundwater forcing people to travel long distances to collect safe drinking water. Teesta entered into Bangladesh from West Bengal state of India and is an unending source of problems now for people in the Northwest region. As India is not showing decisive interest to sign the water sharing deal, the river is flooding the region and washing away crops in rainy season while in winter water scarcity is adding to their plight year by year. Needless to say, despite serious efforts from Bangladesh side, it remains unclear why the Indian government is avoiding the signing of the Teesta water sharing deal when they know it well that such delay is creating serious environmental problem in the region. Many wonder what India has in its mind when the Awami League government in Bangladesh is having the best political relation with Delhi and offering all strategic concessions such as unilateral trade and land and water transit for goods and passengers to its northeast. We all know that former Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh assured Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of quick resolution of the Teesta issue during her first visit to Delhi in December 2010. But Dr Singh narrowly avoided the signing of the deal during his subsequent visit to Dhaka in September 2011. The opportunity came and missed again in dramatic moves during Narendra Modi’s visit to Dhaka in June last year. What appears is that India is recklessly exploiting the weak leadership of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and only both sides know and can say what is bringing failure to Bangladesh time and again and what overriding factor Delhi is using to deny the deal to utter embarrassment of its most faithful friend in Dhaka. To many observers, India may not be seriously taking into count the perils of Awami League government and it may have many explanations. But it remains unclear how long Delhi will continue to keep on harassing the government it supports, no matter it may remain unmoved by the sufferings of people from floods and droughts. It is a life and death question for the people of the region and the government must take the issue seriously again with Delhi to sign the water sharing deal without delay.
