BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Saturday said the future of Bangladesh’s relations with India would largely depend on the renewal or conclusion of the Ganges water-sharing agreement, commonly known as the Farakka Treaty.
He made the remarks while addressing a discussion organised by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party to mark Historic Farakka Day. The event was chaired by BNP Senior Joint Secretary General and Political Adviser to the Prime Minister Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.
Fakhrul described Farakka Day as a symbol of resistance and paid tribute to Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani, saying he had spent his life fighting for people’s welfare without compromising with power.
“Maulana Bhashani raised resistance to protect the livelihood, biodiversity and environment of the people of Bangladesh,” he said.
He said the Ganges, known in Bangladesh as the Padma River, was directly connected to the lives and livelihoods of nearly one-third of the country’s population. According to him, the Farakka Barrage has long posed threats to Bangladesh’s ecology and environment.
Referring to BNP founder and former president Ziaur Rahman, Fakhrul said he had internationalised the issue by mobilising public opinion and raising it globally.
The BNP leader alleged that Bangladesh’s problems over the issue began in 1973 when then Prime Minister Sheikh Mujibur Rahman allowed India to experimentally divert water through the Farakka Barrage. He also referred to later efforts by Ziaur Rahman and former prime minister Khaleda Zia to negotiate water-sharing arrangements.
Fakhrul argued that a short-term agreement would not be sufficient. “This treaty must be for an indefinite period and remain effective until any future agreement replaces it,” he said.
He said no public demand could be achieved without unity, adding that Bhashani’s movement over Farakka later created the conditions for Ziaur Rahman to implement an agreement.
The BNP secretary general noted that the current Ganges Treaty is due to expire in December 2026 and warned that failure to renew it or ensure adequate water flow could create serious challenges for Bangladesh.
He also welcomed what he described as a quick decision by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to advance the Padma Barrage project. “This is a historic decision that will help protect vast areas of the country,” he said.
Fakhrul claimed the government led by Tarique Rahman had been elected through a legitimate democratic process. He alleged that some groups were spreading propaganda against the administration and attempting to destabilise the country.
“The people of Bangladesh who earned democracy through sacrifice will never allow any conspiracy to raise its head,” he said.
He added that Bangladesh expected immediate discussions on the Farakka Treaty in line with national interests and said the country would not accept any agreement that undermined those interests.
“We believe Tarique Rahman’s government will always prioritise Bangladesh’s interests above everything else,” he said.
Among those attending the discussion were BNP Chairperson’s Advisory Council members Goyeshwar Chandra Roy, Mizanur Rahman Minu and Ataur Rahman Dhali, BNP Vice-Chairman Shamsuzzaman Dudu, water resources and climate expert Ainun Nishat, Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor ABM Obaidul Islam, BUET Professor Md Ataur Rahman and Jahangirnagar University Professor Nahrin Islam Khan.
The keynote paper was presented by Dhaka Central University Vice-Chancellor Md Nurul Islam.
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