There are no free lunches. And that truism will definitely play out as Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina meets Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Wednesday and talks about financial aid for her country. India will be keenly watching to see if the Teesta project is discussed and Bangladesh and China try to bring a new dimension to it.
The Teesta water-sharing has been a contentious issue between India and Bangladesh. And now a Teesta reservoir project in which China is seeking to participate has got experts in India worried.
The location of the reservoir project close to the Siliguri Corridor, also known as the Chicken’s Neck, makes it strategically important for India. The Chicken’s Neck is a 20-22km strip of land that connects the Northeast states to mainland India. China has always wanted to get closer to it.
“Ahead of Sheikh Hasina’s Beijing visit, people backed by the government started a buzz that it was possible that Bangladesh could bring both India and China together on the Teesta project,” a Dhaka-based senior political analyst told IndiaToday.in.
The analyst was referring to remarks by Munshi Faiz Ahmad, Bangladesh’s former ambassador to China, to BBC Bangla on July 8.
“It is important for us to keep both India and China happy. Since the Teesta reservoir project is a large one, it is possible that Bangladesh could request India to work on a part of the project, while China could help with another part,” said Faiz Ahmad. He added that this subject could come up for discussion during the Hasina-Xi meeting.
A joint participation by India and China is a new dimension in the Teesta reservoir project, and it won’t be what New Delhi would be interested in.
“The mention of joint participation shows that Bangladesh hasn’t moved away from China on the Teesta project. Why else would a former diplomat make such remarks on the eve of the Hasina and Xi meeting,” said the Bangladeshi political analyst.
WHY SHEIKH HASINA NEEDS BOTH INDIA AND CHINA
India announced during Sheikh Hasina’s visit in June that it would send a technical team to evaluate the Teesta water conservation and management project.
Dhaka wants to build a large reservoir on the Teesta to hold surplus run-off water during monsoons. To India’s discomfort, China has been more than eager to finance the project.
Hasina’s China visit is being seen as a balancing act to keep the two key players happy. The trip, planned for four days, was curtailed to three days on Tuesday, reported Bangladesh media. Hasina will leave for Bangladesh after meeting Xi at 4pm (local time) at the Great Hall of the People.
India has historical and cultural ties with Bangladesh, and helped in the country’s liberation from Pakistan. An expansionist China is, however, eyeing a stronger foothold there because of Bangladesh’s geographical location.
“Sheikh Hasina has very intelligently maintained relations with India and China. She needs India to be in power, and China for economic support. Because of its fiscal, trade and budgetary deficits, Bangladesh needs a lot of money. So, Hasina has to rely on China,” Professor Asif Nazrul of Dhaka University tells IndiaToday.in.
“How long can Sheikh Hasina keep balancing India-China interests in Bangladesh? How long can she keep taking money from China and keep it away from its strategic interests in Bangladesh? There will be a point in time when India-Bangladesh and China-Bangladesh interests will come to a head,” warns Professor Nazrul.
WHY TEESTA WATER-SHARING IS A CONTENTIOUS ISSUE
These conflicting interests are becoming evident in the Teesta reservoir project.
Teesta water is a sensitive issue in Bangladesh, both politically and environmentally. It is an equally sensitive topic in India, especially in West Bengal.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee protested at being left out of the talks that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had with Hasina on the conservation and management of the River Teesta and renewal of the 1996 Ganga Water Treaty. She was in touch with INDIA bloc allies to take up the issue strongly with the Centre, said sources.
Even on Tuesday (July 9), Mamata said that sharing of Teesta water with Bangladesh would lead to scarcity of drinking water in Bengal.
“It’s ironic that India isn’t allowing Teesta’s dry-season flow but wants to build a reservoir for the rainy season in Bangladesh,” Professor Asif Nazrul tells IndiaToday.in.
DELAY IN TEESTA TREATY AND HASINA’S DOMESTIC WOES
Professor Nazrul explains why the delay in the inking of the Teesta agreement planned for 2011 has put Sheikh Hasina in a difficult situation in Bangladesh.
“Bangladesh said it wouldn’t allow any transit project of India without the Teesta agreement. Bangladesh has given India access to its port and other infrastructure. However, Bangladesh has, with sincere hopes, also opened a rail corridor. People are asking if they’ll get a corridor to Nepal and Bhutan through India,” he says.
“People see these concessions as an attempt by Sheikh Hasina to curry favour, and stay on in power with India’s support,” adds Nazrul.
There is more to the water discord. Another issue is that China is an upper-stream riparian country and is building dams on the Brahmaputra.
“India has protested against these dams, but Bangladesh hasn’t voiced its opposition. India would want Bangladesh to be more vocal. There will be a time when these issues will become problematic for the three countries,” warns Nazrul.
For now, as Hasina meets Xi, and may likely bring up the Teesta project, India will be keeping keen watch to see what Bangladesh trades off for the financial assistance from Beijing. Because there are no free lunches.
