By Asif Showkat Kallol (Dhaka Bureau)
Bangladesh is moving towards financing the long-awaited Teesta River Comprehensive Management and Restoration Project with domestic resources, signalling a shift away from reliance on foreign loans for one of the country’s most strategically significant infrastructure initiatives.
A government delegation led by Water Resources Minister Shahiduddin Chowdhury Annie and State Minister Farhad Hossain Azad is scheduled to visit the Teesta Barrage area on Friday as authorities intensify preparations for the project.
The Teesta River is vital to the livelihoods of millions in northern Bangladesh, where reduced dry-season water flows, largely attributed to upstream interventions, have long disrupted irrigation and agricultural production.
Government planners argue that reservoirs, river training works, and dredging could help ensure year-round water availability, reduce devastating erosion, and improve navigation along the river.
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman told parliament this week that a completed feasibility study had proposed 110km of riverbank protection works, 110km of dredging, 224km of flood-control embankments with roads, construction and rehabilitation of 67 groynes, and the recovery and development of 170 sq km of land.
The project had previously been linked to potential Chinese financing. Chinese experts conducted preliminary studies several years ago and outlined a plan estimated to cost more than $1bn. However, officials now say the government is increasingly inclined to implement the project through domestic funding, citing concerns over debt obligations and broader strategic considerations.
The Teesta has long been at the centre of Bangladesh’s complex water-sharing relationship with India. A temporary arrangement reached in 1983 was never converted into a permanent treaty, while a proposed agreement collapsed in 2011 following objections from West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
Diplomatic observers note that the project carries geopolitical significance beyond water management. India remains cautious about any long-term Chinese involvement near the strategically sensitive Siliguri Corridor, the narrow land link connecting India’s northeastern states with the rest of the country. China, meanwhile, has expanded its infrastructure footprint across Bangladesh and has expressed interest in participating in major development projects.
Officials say the Teesta master plan remains essential for addressing chronic flooding, erosion, and water scarcity in northern Bangladesh. Yet the government’s apparent preference for self-financing reflects an effort to balance development priorities with debt sustainability and regional diplomatic sensitivities.
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The Writer:
Asif Showkat Kallol: Works for a German-based online outlet, The Mirror Asia, as Head of News and is a Contributor at Pressenza- Dhaka Bureau.
