Zahed Ur Rahman, the Information and Broadcasting Adviser to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, said no other country should be worried about the Teesta River project [1].
The statement comes as Bangladesh pursues the Teesta River Comprehensive Management and Restoration Project. Because the Teesta River is a transboundary waterway, management decisions in Bangladesh can impact water flow and environmental stability for neighboring nations, most notably India.
Rahman said he spoke to address the concerns regarding the scope and execution of the restoration efforts [1]. The project aims to manage the river's flow and restore its natural state to mitigate flooding and improve irrigation. However, transboundary river projects often trigger diplomatic tensions over water-sharing agreements and ecological footprints.
"No other country should be worried about the Teesta River Comprehensive Management and Restoration Project," Rahman said [2].
The adviser's remarks suggest a desire to maintain regional stability while advancing domestic infrastructure goals. By framing the project as non-threatening, the administration seeks to avoid the diplomatic friction that has historically characterized water disputes in the region.
Bangladesh has long sought a comprehensive agreement to ensure fair water distribution during the dry season. The current restoration project represents a strategic move to optimize the river's utility within its borders, a move that requires transparency to maintain trust with upstream partners [1].
“"No other country should be worried about the Teesta River Comprehensive Management and Restoration Project,"”
This assertion serves as a diplomatic preemptive strike to minimize international opposition to Bangladesh's internal water management strategy. By publicly stating that the project poses no threat to neighbors, the government is attempting to decouple technical river restoration from the broader, more contentious political negotiations over water-sharing treaties.
