Ganges treaty will be first test of rebuilding ties: Khalilur Rahman

Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman sees a new agreement on sharing the waters of the Ganges River as crucial to rebuilding relations between Bangladesh and India. He said a revised Ganges water-sharing deal, based on fairness and climate resilience, will be the first test of efforts to restore bilateral ties.

He made the remarks in an interview with NDTV, which was aired on Saturday. The interview was given in Mauritius, where he attended the Indian Ocean Conference in Port Louis on 9–10 April, organised by the India Foundation.

Khalilur Rahman travelled to Mauritius from Delhi. As the first minister of Bangladesh’s new government to visit India, he was in New Delhi on 7–8 April. During the visit, he held talks with India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and also met National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri.

The 30-year Ganges water-sharing treaty signed in 1996 is set to expire in December this year. Even during its tenure, the two countries have had differences over water availability, with Bangladesh consistently complaining of inadequate flows during the dry season. With the agreement nearing expiry, it will either need to be extended or replaced with a new one.

Asked how important the treaty is for overall bilateral relations, Khalilur Rahman said, “Our relationship with the Ganges water is a matter of life and death. Our entire civilisation and livelihoods depend on access to its waters. The existing agreement will expire in a few months. We want to see a revised agreement that can meet people’s urgent needs.”

He warned that inadequate water sharing would negatively affect livelihoods, agriculture, and food security in Bangladesh. “As both countries are interested in rebuilding relations, the Ganges water-sharing agreement—based on fairness and climate resilience—will be the first test of fixing bilateral ties,” he said.

When the Ganges treaty was signed in 1996, the Awami League was in power in Bangladesh. After the party was ousted following the July 2024 mass uprising, Dhaka–Delhi relations hit a low during the interim government period. However, ties have shown signs of normalisation since the BNP came to power through elections in February this year.

For about a year and a half, both Bangladesh and India had restricted visa issuance. Asked whether the issue came up in discussions in Delhi, the foreign minister said visa problems existed on both sides. He noted that within three days of taking office, Bangladesh reopened visas for all categories of Indian citizens.

Expressing hope that India would take similar steps, he said people-to-people contact is essential to sustaining relations. Preventing citizens of one country from visiting the other blocks trust-building and mutual understanding.

“As an example, a large number of Bangladeshis depend on medical visas. When access to such visas was disrupted, the issue became humanitarian. It was no longer just a visa issue. People began seeking alternatives—some travelled to Kunming, Bangkok, and Singapore. As a result, an important thread in bilateral relations was broken,” he said.

Khalilur Rahman expressed hope that in the coming weeks, India would ease visa procedures for seriously ill patients and those involved in business and trade.

Addressing concerns that Bangladesh may deepen ties with China at India’s expense, he said relations with India or China are not based on benefiting one side over another. “If there are concerns, our Indian friends can clearly communicate them,” he said.

He added, “Bangladesh’s relations with other countries are not at the cost of anyone. Cooperation with China and trade with India are both driven by market realities. In some areas, we have productive cooperation with China, while in others we have dynamic engagement with India. The market determines where we go based on better value.”

“Let us move beyond these concerns. Viewing relations through a zero-sum lens does not benefit anyone,” the foreign minister said.