In a recent and highly controversial statement, a Bangladeshi politician, Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, has suggested that Bangladesh intends to annex the Indian state of Bihar. While this claim is not based on any historical, legal, or diplomatic grounds, it has reopened the 50 year old wounds of water-sharing issues between the two countries, particularly concerning the Farakka Barrage and its chronic impact on Bihar.
For far too long, the state of Bihar has borne the brunt of Bangladesh’s selfish water policies and its indirect exploitation of the Farakka Barrage. As floods ravage Bihar year after year, exacerbated by excessive siltation in the Ganga, it’s high time India stops playing the polite neighbor and takes decisive action to protect its citizens.
Constructed in 1970s, the Farakka Barrage has become a nightmare for Bihar. The barrage traps silt, raising the Ganga’s riverbed, and floods entire districts in Bihar during every monsoon. Bangladesh conveniently benefits while Bihar drowns in misery. Enough is enough!
India must act decisively and open all 109 gates of the Farakka Barrage during the next monsoon season. This is not up for debate. Let the excess water flow downstream into Bangladesh. This move will relieve Bihar. Floodwaters and silt will be flushed out, sparing millions of Bihari lives and livelihoods. By facing the consequences of its opportunistic water-sharing stance, Bangladesh will understand the costs of threatening to annex Bihar.
If Bangladesh thinks it can escape unscathed, it’s in for a rude awakening. A surge of water flowing into the Padma River will wreak havoc across Bangladesh:
- Massive Flooding: Villages submerged, crops destroyed, and millions displaced. The devastation will expose Bangladesh’s fragile infrastructure and inadequate flood management.
- Navigational Chaos: The sudden water flow will make river navigation treacherous and dangerous, crippling trade and transport.
- Environmental and Economic Collapse: Aquatic ecosystems will suffer irreparable damage, and fertile lands will turn barren, leaving the Bangladeshi economy in shambles.
The 1996 India-Bangladesh Water Sharing Treaty is a sham. It has only served to tie India’s hands while Bangladesh exploits the arrangement to its advantage. India must withdraw from this outdated and one-sided agreement immediately. We will not let our own people suffer to appease a neighbor that refuses to act responsibly.
This is not a negotiation—it is a warning. If Bangladesh continues to ignore Bihar’s plight and benefit at India’s expense, it will face the full force of nature, unleashed by India’s rightful actions. The time for polite diplomacy is over. India will prioritize its own citizens and hold Bangladesh accountable for its disregard of shared responsibilities.
Bangladesh must choose: work with India for equitable neighbourhood or prepare for the consequences of its selfishness. The choice is theirs, but the action is ours.