Zakir Hossain in Dhaka
Bangladesh’s interim planning adviser Dr. Wahiduddin Mahmud has raised doubts about the viability of the proposed China-backed Teesta River mega project, questioning whether it can move forward effectively without India’s cooperation. “The water that comes through Teesta… without help from India what will happen,” Dr. Mahmud said on Sunday while briefing reporters on the outcome of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) meeting.
His comments come in the wake of Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus’ recent visit to China, where discussions reportedly included China’s long-standing interest in developing a water management and infrastructure project along the Teesta.
While confirming that China has agreed in principle to take up the project, Dr. Mahmud clarified that no formal plan has yet been finalized. “A surface-level plan was presented from the Chinese side some years back, but this cannot be said to be a project,” he noted. “Actually, can we make a project here? Can it be a good project with the current water flow in the river?” he questioned. The adviser emphasized the need for a detailed feasibility study before moving forward. “There should be a reservoir to store the water, but no final plan has been made for this purpose. There are blueprint-type papers, but no actual project,” he said.