WE are concerned about India's reported plan to undertake the construction of 16 barrages, one in every 100 kilometres of the Ganges under the Ganges waterway Project. If implemented, this would have a disastrous impact on the river Ganges and harm the ecology of both Bangladesh and India.

In light of India's promise to not harm Bangladesh's interests, we are surprised that India has planned to build the barrages in an international river without consultation with Bangladesh as the lower riparian. It is in contradiction to good neighbourly practices as well as a violation of international norms.

In 1974, the Farakka barrage alone reduced the flow of the Ganges downstream known as the Padma in Bangladesh, turning parts of the once majestic river into a wasteland. The sharing of the Ganges' waters is a long-standing issue between the two nations, and although the Ganges Water Sharing Treaty 1996 stipulates the amount of water sharing during lean season, the treaty is not always followed. Further diversion of water would have calamitous effects on the Padma and surrounding areas, increase salinity and food insecurity and cause irreparable damage to the ecology.  

It is surprising that though India has already applied to the World Bank to finance the project, our government apparently is yet to take cognition of the matter, let alone lodge a protest.  We urge the government to take up the matter with the Indian government.

A cumulative environmental impact assessment of the entire transboundary Ganges must be carried out before any such project.