Ganges Treaty key to future BD-India relations: Fakhrul

     
Bangladesh's relations with India will largely depend on the outcome of the renewal of the Ganges Water-Sharing Treaty, LGRD Minister and BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has said.

He made the remarks on Saturday while speaking as the chief guest at a discussion meeting organized by the BNP marking "Farakka Day" at the Engineers Institution Auditorium in Dhaka.

Fakhrul said the current Ganges agreement is set to expire in December next year and stressed the need for a new agreement following consultations with the public and in line with national expectations.

He urged the Indian government to conclude discussions based on Bangladesh's needs, warning that future bilateral relations could be influenced by the outcome of the treaty renewal process.

"Bangladesh's interests must be protected at any cost. We will never allow any agreement that harms the interests of Bangladesh," he said.

Describing the Farakka Barrage as a threat to the country's environment, biodiversity, and livelihoods, Fakhrul said the river system supports the lives and ecology of nearly one-third of Bangladesh's population.

He said Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani had long warned about the impacts of the barrage and led movements in protest, while later President Ziaur Rahman raised the issue internationally in defence of Bangladesh's interests.

Fakhrul stressed that the water-sharing arrangement should ensure long-term stability. He added that the current framework should remain in place until a new agreement is finalized, and that any future deal should ideally be of long duration.

Referring to the upcoming expiry of the agreement, he warned that Bangladesh could face serious challenges if it is not renewed in time.