By Hassan

In the prevailing and utmost issues between Bangladesh and India is Farakka Barrage. Bangladesh and India share 54 common rivers by upstream India, lower stream in Bangladesh. Since the inception of Bangladesh, the water crisis was raised because India ignored the international river law. The Farakka Barrage on the common river Ganga built by India in 1975 has been seriously affecting Bangladesh's northern regions' ecology and cultivation.

The first popular mass demonstration after Bangladesh's independence was held against India over the Farakka barrage. Historically known as "The Long Farakka March," occurred in May 1976. Bangladesh also raised this issue on International forums. In May 1976, Bangladesh presented the case at the Islamic Foreign Ministers Conference in Istanbul and the 31st session of the United Nations General Assembly.

The Farakka Barrage is located in the Indian state of West Bengal on the Ganges River, the place of Farakka about 17 km upstream from the Bangladesh border. Since 1975, India has been operating the Farakka Barrage to divert water from the Ganges River to the Bhagirathi-Hooghly river system. The rivers' flow continues to affect the water supply for irrigation and inland navigation in the southwest part of Bangladesh. Still, it has been worst after the dam's construction because of the illegal withdrawal of water by India using the Farakka Barrage.

In recent decades India violating rule of UNO Article 33. According to the Ministry of Water Resources of Bangladesh, pre-Farakka flow (1934–1975) was 2340 m3/sec, whereas, during post-Farakka, the average flow is only 1236 m3/sec (1975–1995) at Hardinge Bridge point. The flow of water is continuously decreasing, which is increasing the concerns of Bangladeshi nationals.

Bangladesh's share decreased about 8 percent under the 1996 Treaty. For the three non-monsoon months (March-May), the percentage of Bangladesh has reduced from about 61 percent under the 1977 Agreement to about 50 percent under the 1996 Treaty. Water allocated to Bangladesh in the 1996 Treaty is approximately 50 percent less than the pre-Farakka average flow at Hardinge Bridge point in Bangladesh, which means this treaty is unlikely to make any noticeable difference in solving the dry water crisis season in the Southwestern part of Bangladesh. Therefore, the 1996 Treaty does not provide any minimum guaranteed flow for Bangladesh if the flow at Farakka reduces substantially though there was consent in making this agreement between these two countries.

According to the Madrid Declaration, it was adopted in 1911, which established an absolute prohibition against activities that may cause injury to other riparian states and rivers managed by all riparian countries. According to the declaration Ganges, the water diversion system could be controlled by all riparian countries of the Ganges basin, i.e., Nepal, India, China, and Bangladesh. Unfortunately, India does not want to incorporate any treaty with Bangladesh.

Since 1996, India opens all the gates of Farakka gates in result Bangladesh's rivers swell out. India is responsible for the ongoing floods in Bangladesh that have already killed 263 people and inundated more than two-thirds of the country. As we know, climate change engulfed Bangladesh's environment, which India fuels.

Bangladesh and India's historic agreement on sharing the waters of the river Ganga both countries have failed to reach any robust solution on sharing the waters of the rest of the 53 common rivers. India has been controlling all these common rivers by constructing barrages or diverting water through artificial canals. The anti-Indian sentiment in Bangladesh is sharply rising due to such a decades-long Indian stance against Bangladesh's interests.

In conclusion, Bangladesh is facing noticeable problems like water crisis, crop and grain damage, soil erosion, deforestation and depletion of wildlife that provide challenges in achieving ecological, social, and economic balances in sustainable development. India constructed the illegal barrage for its benefit without considering the effect on the farmers of Bangladesh. The construction and operation of Farakka Barrage is still an unlawful move by India and controversial between Bangladesh and India. Although we know Bangladesh is the lower riparian country depending mostly on the Ganges' flow and its tributaries originated from India in respect of ecology, economy, and cultures. Therefore, India has played a role as hegemony on Bangladesh that's India forced Bangladesh to step back from the issue.

A lot of objection was given by Pakistan (Bangladesh was a part of Pakistan) to India not to construct the Farakka barrage, but India did not consider it. Moreover, after starting the operation formally, Bangladesh tried to arrange a meeting with a multilateral discussion ignored by India. Although these two countries formulated agreements, treaties, and MoU they all favor India both technically and indirectly.