Millions depend on Teesta waters: Hasina tells Modi

Dhaka underlines need to conclude water sharing agreement at bilateral talks during PM’s visit

Bangladesh on Saturday reiterated that the livelihood of “millions” of its citizens depended on the Teesta river and the country should receive a proper share of its waters. The forceful message on the issue was conveyed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi by his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina during bilateral talks at the end of a two-day visit by the Indian PM. “Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina reiterated Bangladesh’s long-pending request for concluding the interim agreement on the sharing of the waters of the Teesta river. She underscored that to alleviate the sufferings and save the livelihoods of millions of people dependent on the Teesta river basin, it is necessary that Bangladesh receives its fair share of the Teesta waters, the draft agreement of which has already been agreed upon by both Governments in January 2011,” declared a Joint Statement issued at the end of bilateral discussions between the two delegations.