| Memorandum of Understanding on the Withdrawal of Water from the Kushiyara River | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | Memorandum of Understanding |
| Context | Water sharing agreement between Bangladesh and India for the Kushiyara River |
| Drafted | August 25, 2022 |
| Signed | September 6, 2022 |
| Location | Hyderabad House, New Delhi, India |
| Effective | September 6, 2022 |
| Negotiators | |
| Original signatories | |
| Signatories | |
| Parties | |
| Language | English |
The Kushiyara Water Sharing Agreement is a memorandum of understanding signed between Bangladesh and India on September 6, 2022, centered around the Kushiyara River. According to this agreement, Bangladesh will withdraw 153 cusecs of water from the Kushiyara River at the Rahimpur canal point in Sylhet.
Background[edit | edit source]
Originating from the Angami Naga hills in northern Manipur, India, the Barak River flows through the Cachar district of Manipur and enters Bangladesh via Badarpur and Sylhet. At a place called Amalshid, located on the Sylhet border, the Barak River splits into two branches — one becomes the Surma River, and the other the Kushiyara River. The Kushiyara River is 120 miles long.[1] India had long-standing objections to the use of water from the Kushiyara River for agricultural purposes through the Rahimpur canal. To resolve this issue, discussions began in January 2021 during a meeting of the working group of the Joint Rivers Commission.[2] On August 25, during a ministerial-level meeting of the Bangladesh-India Joint Rivers Commission (JRC), a draft memorandum of understanding was finalized regarding the withdrawal of water from the Kushiyara River flowing into Sylhet from India. On behalf of Bangladesh, State Minister for Water Resources Zahid Faruk led the delegation, while on behalf of India, Minister of Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat led theirs.[3][4][5][6] On September 6, a total of seven memorandums of understanding, including this one, were signed between the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, and the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi. In this agreement, India agreed to allow Bangladesh to withdraw 153 cusecs of water from the Kushiyara River at the Rahimpur point.[7][8][9][10]
Benefits of the agreement[edit | edit source]
No irrigation water was available in the seven upazilas at the Rahimpur point, and during the dry season, no agricultural activities could be carried out in the entire region. Due to the lack of irrigation water, for most of the year the agricultural land in that entire area remained completely barren. Between 2011 and 2015, Bangladesh constructed a pump house and a dam at the Rahimpur point. The Surma-Kushiyara Project was implemented by the Water Development Board to make this possible.[11] As a result of the agreement, more than a hundred thousand people in the region will benefit. Boro cultivation will also become possible in the haor areas downstream of the canal, and fish farming will increase.[12]
Reaction[edit | edit source]
Bangladesh’s State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Shahriar Alam, termed this agreement a major achievement for Bangladesh.[13][14][15]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Islam, Sirajul; Miah, Sajahan; Khanam, Mahfuza; Ahmed, Sabbir, eds. (2012). "Kushiyara River". Banglapedia: the National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Online ed.). Dhaka, Bangladesh: Banglapedia Trust, Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. ISBN 984-32-0576-6. OCLC 52727562. Retrieved 30 July 2026.
- ↑ কুশিয়ারার পানি নিয়ে ভারতের সঙ্গে চুক্তি করতে চায় বাংলাদেশ [Bangladesh wants to sign agreement with India on Kushiyara water]. Bangla Tribune (in Bengali). Retrieved 2025-04-30.
- ↑ "Bangladesh, India reach consensus on Kushiyara water sharing". Prothomalo. 2022-08-25. Archived from the original on 2025-02-16. Retrieved 2025-04-30.
- ↑ "India, Bangladesh Sign Pact on Sharing Waters of Kushiyara River". thediplomat.com. Retrieved 2025-04-30.
- ↑ "Kushiyara River: Dhaka, Delhi finalize text of MoU to share water". Dhaka Tribune. Retrieved 2025-04-30.
- ↑ "India, Bangladesh ink first water sharing pact in 25 years; Hasina flags Teesta". The New Indian Express. 2022-09-06. Archived from the original on 2022-09-07. Retrieved 2025-04-30.
- ↑ হাসিনা-মোদী বৈঠক: অধরাই রয়ে গেল তিস্তা, রফা হলো কুশিয়ারার পানি বন্টনে [Hasina-Modi meeting: Teesta remains elusive, Kushiyara water sharing reaches a deadlock]. BBC News বাংলা (in Bengali). Archived from the original on 2022-09-09. Retrieved 2025-04-30.
- ↑ "India, Bangladesh sign agreement for water-sharing of River Kushiyara". Deccan Herald. Retrieved 2025-04-30.
- ↑ Bhattacherjee, Kallol (2022-09-11). "Explained | Why is the Kushiyara river treaty between India and Bangladesh important?". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Archived from the original on 2023-10-04. Retrieved 2025-04-30.
- ↑ "India, Bangladesh sign water-sharing deal, in boost to ties". Associated Press. 2022-09-06. Archived from the original on 2023-03-29. Retrieved 2025-04-30.
- ↑ "Kushiyara water-sharing: How Bangladesh benefits from the agreement with India". bdnews24.com. Archived from the original on 2022-09-25. Retrieved 2025-04-30.
- ↑ "Kushiyara water-sharing deal: Hope rekindled after all these years". The Daily Star (Bangladesh). 2022-09-07. Archived from the original on 2024-09-12. Retrieved 2025-04-30.
- ↑ "Kushiara water sharing deal is Bangladesh's big achievement: Shahriar | News Flash". Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha. Retrieved 2025-04-30.
- ↑ "'Kushiara water sharing deal is Bangladesh's big achievement' |". Bangladesh Pratidin (in Bengali). 2022-09-07. Retrieved 2025-04-30.
- ↑ "Kushiara water sharing deal is Bangladesh's big achievement: Shahriar". The Business Standard. 2022-09-07. Retrieved 2025-04-30.