Teesta Project could be on agenda of Yunus-Xi meet

New Delhi: The much-delayed Teesta river project may be discussed during Bangladesh’s chief adviser Muhammad Yunus’s ongoing visit to China, with the latter seeking to extend its role in the feasibility study of the water management project.

Ahead of Yunus’ meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Bangladesh foreign secretary Md. Jashim Uddin said the water management issue is on the agenda of the visit and there is a possibility that Teesta will come up during the discussions.

While China has long expressed interest in implementing the water management project, in July 2024, the then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina announced her administration’s intention to carry it out with India as the neighbouring country holds the water of the river. “I would prioritise that India will do it (Teesta project). India holds the water of Teesta river… So, they should do the project and they would give whatever is necessary here if they do the project,” she said in Dhaka following her trip to China.

China had earlier conducted a survey to assess the scope of the proposed Teesta River Comprehensive Management and Restoration Project. In 2016, Bangladesh had signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding (MoU) with state-owned Power Construction Corporation of China to explore an alternative approach to managing the river’s challenges. The MoU led to a master plan in 2020, which was to be finalised by 2024 under a five-year plan.