Explained: India-Bangladesh River Waters Issue Crops Up Again Amid Heavy Rains And Floods

With large areas in eastern Bangladesh bordering the northeast Indian of Tripura inundated by flood waters amidst heavy monsoon rains, the problems arising out of trans-boundary rivers have come into focus again. What are the causes? What is the way forward? ETV Bharat takes a look.

New Delhi: Amid heavy rains and floods in the northeastern state of Tripura and in Bangladesh across the border, the river waters issue between India and Bangladesh has cropped up again with a new interim government assuming power in Dhaka. The External Affairs Ministry had on Thursday refuted claims in the Bangladesh media that the current situation of flood in the eastern borders of Bangladesh was caused by the opening of the Dumbur dam upstream of the Gumti River in Tripura.

“We would like to point out that the catchment areas of Gumti River that flow through India and Bangladesh have witnessed heaviest rains of this year over the last few days,” a statement issued by the External Affairs Ministry reads. “The flood in Bangladesh is primarily due to waters from these large catchments downstream of the dam. The Dumbur dam is located quite far from the border - over 120 km upstream of Bangladesh. It is a low height (about 30m) dam that generates power that feeds into a grid and from which Bangladesh also draws 40MW power from Tripura.”

The Ministry stated that along the about 120 km river course, there are three water level observation sites at Amarpur, Sonamura and Sonamura 2. “Heavy rainfall has been continuing since August 21 in the whole of Tripura and adjoining districts of Bangladesh,” Ministry statement further reads. “In the event of heavy inflow, automatic releases have been observed.

Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pranay Verma reiterated the same when he called on Chief Advisor of the interim government Muhammad Yunus in Dhaka later on Thursday. Media reports in Bangladesh quoted Verma as saying during the meeting that the flood in Tripura is something “very unprecedented”, causing displacement of 50,000 people. He said it has created havoc on both sides of the border.

On his part, Yunus proposed forming a high-level committee between Bangladesh and India to manage floods jointly. He said if a high-level committee is formed between Bangladesh and India, both countries will be able to manage severe floods jointly by holding meetings of the committee.

In its statement, the External Affairs Ministry said that as two countries sharing 54 common cross-border rivers, river water cooperation is an important part of our bilateral engagement. “We remain committed to resolving issues and mutual concerns in water resources and river water management through bilateral consultations and technical discussions,” the statement reads.

What are the trans-boundary rivers between India and Bangladesh?

India and Bangladesh share 54 transboundary rivers, with the Ganga, Brahmaputra and Meghna river systems being the most significant. These rivers originate in the Himalayas, flow through India, and enter Bangladesh, making the latter a downstream country heavily reliant on the water flow regulated by India.

Apart from the major rivers, other shared rivers like the Feni, Manu, Muhuri, Khowai, Gumti, Dharla and Dudhkumar also face issues of water sharing and management. These rivers are smaller but vital for local agriculture, fisheries, and ecosystems in both countries. Many of these rivers do not have formal agreements or treaties, leading to disputes and uncoordinated management practices.

How do the trans-boundary rivers pose flood risks?

The issue of floods caused by trans-boundary rivers between India and Bangladesh is a recurring and severe problem that affects millions of people in both countries. The geographical, hydrological and meteorological factors, combined with human activities and infrastructure developments, contribute to the frequent and devastating floods in the region.

What are the natural causes of flooding?

The heavy monsoon rains in the Indian subcontinent significantly contribute to the flooding of trans-boundary rivers. When combined with the melting snow from the Himalayas, the water levels in the rivers increase dramatically, often breaching embankments and causing widespread floods. The gradient from the high-altitude regions in India to the plains of Bangladesh causes rivers to flow swiftly and with great force, leading to erosion, riverbank failures, and flooding in downstream areas.

What are the other causes?

Dams, barrages and embankments built for irrigation, flood control, or hydropower in India can disrupt the natural flow of rivers. While these structures are meant to control floods, they can also create problems downstream in Bangladesh, especially when they release water during peak monsoon periods. For example, the Farakka Barrage, built by India near the border with Bangladesh, was designed to divert water from the Ganaga River to the Hooghly River to maintain the navigability of the Kolkata port. However, during the monsoon season, the barrage can exacerbate flooding in Bangladesh by causing backflow and impeding the natural drainage of floodwaters.

Extensive deforestation in the upstream areas of the Himalayas and northeastern India reduces the land’s capacity to absorb rainfall, leading to increased surface runoff and contributing to the swelling of rivers. Rapid urbanisation and changes in land use in both India and Bangladesh have reduced the natural floodplains, which traditionally acted as buffers during floods. Encroachment on riverbanks and wetlands has exacerbated the flooding problem.

What are the impacts of flooding caused by these trans-boundary rivers?

Floods destroy crops, particularly in Bangladesh, where agriculture is a major segment of the economy. The loss of crops not only affects food security, but also has long-term economic consequences for farmers and the wider economy.

Roads, bridges, homes and other infrastructure are often severely damaged or destroyed during floods. The cost of rebuilding and repairing this infrastructure is a significant burden on both India and Bangladesh. There are environment impacts as well. Floods cause extensive soil erosion, especially in the upper reaches of the rivers in India. The eroded material is deposited downstream, leading to sedimentation in the riverbeds and further increasing the flood risk.

What is the way forward?

Though Yunus has proposed the formation of a high-level committee between India and Bangladesh, the fact of the matter is there is already a Joint Rivers Commission (JRC) headed by the Water Resources Ministers of the two countries that has been existence since 1972. It is a key platform for discussing and managing the shared water resources of the two countries. The JRC focuses on flood forecasting, data sharing, and the management of river systems to mitigate flood risks.

In fact, in its statement on Thursday, the External Affairs Ministry said that data showing rising trend of the water level of the Gumti River was supplied to Bangladesh up to 3 pm on August 21. At 6 pm that day, due to flooding, there was a power outage leading to problems of communication. “Still, we have tried to maintain communication through other means created for urgent transmission of data,” the Ministry stated.