Bangladesh seeks equitable water sharing as transit corridor talks stall

Bangladesh's chief adviser Nahid Islam has expressed reservations about a proposed transit corridor through Bangladeshi territory, marking a shift in the country's approach to regional infrastructure cooperation with India. The statement underscores Dhaka's intention to pursue negotiations from a position of greater assertiveness following recent political transitions in the country.

Islam's opposition to the transit arrangement is coupled with a renewed push for a more favourable water-sharing agreement with India. Bangladesh has long sought greater equity in the distribution of waters from shared rivers, particularly the Ganges and Brahmaputra systems, which are vital to the nation's agriculture and water security.

The positioning reflects broader calculations within Bangladesh's interim administration regarding the balance of bilateral benefits. While trade and connectivity initiatives offer economic advantages, Dhaka appears determined to ensure that any major infrastructure agreements are not pursued at the expense of critical water resource interests.

India and Bangladesh maintain complex ties encompassing trade, security cooperation, and resource management. Previous transit corridor proposals have faced resistance in Dhaka due to concerns about sovereignty and the distribution of resulting benefits. Water-sharing disputes, meanwhile, have persisted for decades, with Bangladesh frequently contending that it receives insufficient allocations during dry seasons.