1. India’s Aggressive Trans-Boundary River Policy Against Bangladesh

Bangladesh is the lowest riparian country of more than 53 India-Bangladesh trans-boundary rivers that sustain the
life and living of millions of downstream Bangladeshis. Four-fifth of Bangladesh is made up of the combined delta of Ganges, Brahmaputra, Meghna and Barak river system - one of the largest river basins in the world. India aggressively withdrawing water by building one after another dam, diverting water by canal linking, creating reservoirs thus adversely affecting the hydrology, river morphology, agriculture, domestic and municipal water supply, fishery, forestry, wildlife, industry, navigation, public health and biodiversity in major portion of Bangladesh.

2. India’s Dam Building Aggressions

Starting in 1970’s India building one after another dam in the upstream. The worst one is the Farakka Dam on the mighty Ganges River just 5km before the entrance to Bangladesh. In the last 35 years (since it’s opening) – India aggressively manipulating the water system – flooding Bangladesh in rainy season and drying up in winter; impact is unspeakable - one-Third Bangladesh is now a desert just for Farakkah Dam a Silent Killer of North-West Bangladesh. In some estimates costing Bangladesh $30 Billion economic impact.

3. Linking-Canal and Reservoirs Building Aggressions

India has 400 major storage dams and reservoirs of a total capacity of 2221 billion cubic feet water - depriving Bangladesh its due water share. They are also aggressively pushing inter-river canal linkage in upstream to abruptly changing the water flow to the downstream Bangladesh.

4. A new Silent Killing Plan of North-East Bangladesh


India starting another intervention on the International River Barak at Tiapimukh to construct a dam and a barrage at Fulertal by 2013. With the construction of Tipaimukh dam, India would be diverting Barak water flow from its north to its south and east, thereby putting Bangladesh under serious consequences. It will have multifarious adverse impacts on nature and livelihood in the north-eastern districts in Bangladesh. The River Barak feeds not only the Surma- Kushiyara Rivers (>600 km) in Sylhet Division, but that also flows into the Meghna River, one of the three major rivers in Bangladesh.

5. India’s Violation of International and Bilateral Laws and Agreement

The unilateral construction of Tipaimukh dam by India on this international river Barak is a violation of UN Convention on the Law of Non-navigational Uses of International watercourses. At a Joint River Commission meeting in September 2005, India formally assured Bangladesh that they would not divert any water for their irrigation project but now nakedly violating. If India constructs without the consent of Bangladesh, it will be violation of the article 9 of Bangladesh-India Water Sharing Treaty, 1996. Tipaimukh Dam project was entirely developed and approved without informing the government of Bangladesh or involving its people in any meaningful exercise to assess the downstream impacts of the dam. Bangladesh was not invited to participate, fully and actively in the decision-making process as a key stakeholder. This is clearly a gross violation of co-riparian rights of Bangladesh.

BANGLADESH WANTS URGENT UN INTERVENTION!!