A large section of Bangladesh’s population has been expressing strong anti-India sentiments in recent years, primarily due to the belief that India was supporting Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government by unfair means. The situation escalated after floods in Tripura, India spilled into Bangladesh on August 21, leading to India being portrayed as the antagonist.
The interim government in Bangladesh and the political establishment accused India of releasing water from a dam in Tripura without informing Bangladesh, prompting students to protest on university campuses with anti-India slogans.
“India showed heartlessness by opening the dam without prior notice,” stated Nahid Islam, a student representative in Bangladesh’s interim government led by Peace Nobel Laureate economist Muhammad Yunus, during a press briefing in Dhaka.
Islam also accused India of “water terrorism” on social media and suggested giving the Teesta project to China to address the ongoing water-sharing conflict between India and Bangladesh.
India and Bangladesh share 54 transboundary rivers, with disputes over rivers like Ganga (Padma), Teesta, and Brahmaputra (Jamuna) causing tension between the two nations.
In response to the growing animosity, India’s Ministry of External Affairs issued a statement clarifying the cause of the flood and emphasized the importance of river water cooperation between the two countries.
Efforts to manage the situation and resolve disputes were discussed during a meeting between Indian High Commissioner Pranay Verma and economist Muhammad Yunus, with proposals for a high-level committee to address flood management and water-sharing issues.
The longstanding conflicts over river waters, particularly Ganga and Teesta, remain unresolved, with demands for fair water-sharing agreements intensifying in Bangladesh over recent years.
The complications surrounding the water-sharing treaties between India and Bangladesh have led to calls for international intervention to address India’s alleged blocking of water flow and unilateral actions on water distribution in transboundary rivers.
Climate changes in Northeast India have further complicated the issue, with unpredictable rainfall patterns impacting water flow into Bangladesh from states like Assam, Tripura, and Meghalaya. The need for effective management of water resources and cooperation between the two countries remains critical for addressing future challenges.