Finally, in reality, the entire process is also linked with politics. Many argue that the Farakka Barrage is no longer truly necessary for India. Similar views are also expressed about the Gajoldoba Barrage.

According to renowned Indian water expert Kalyan Rudra, neither the Farakka nor the Gajoldoba barrage is economically beneficial for India. So why were they built? Were they constructed merely as political tools?

For several months, I have been watching multiple YouTube videos made by Indians about the renewal of the Ganges Treaty. In one of them, a statement by India’s foreign minister regarding the renewal of the Ganges or Indus treaties is noteworthy. The English statement translates as: “Neighbouring countries that do not wish to cooperate with India will have to pay the price.” Water withholding is considered one such form of pressure.

It should be understood that requesting water from a shared river under a treaty is not simply like begging with an outstretched hand. For example, if a neighboring country has oil, asking for it freely is not guaranteed—they may or may not give it. But in the case of international rivers, the downstream country’s right to water is internationally recognized, and the upstream country is obliged to ensure its fair share.

The diversion of water upstream has already been prohibited under international law. Therefore, such actions go against established principles. An international legal framework has also been developed on this issue.

Unfortunately, neither Bangladesh nor India has signed it. However, even without signing, its guidelines can still be used as reference points in discussions and arguments, because the law was adopted by the United Nations based on the consensus of most member states worldwide. Long before this law, there were also numerous examples of fair water-sharing agreements between countries based on customary international law.

Finally, I will end with a story. During 1999–2000, while I was studying for my master’s degree at the National University of Singapore (NUS), a major research project on desalination came to the Civil Engineering Department. Singapore had been importing drinking water from Malaysia at a very low cost. As an island nation, it had limited freshwater resources. But suddenly, it decided to produce its own drinking water by desalinating seawater—even though it would cost several times more than importing water from Malaysia.

When asked why this is being done, a professor replied, “to ensure water security.”