BNP blames Mamata Banerjee for Teesta delay, hails BJP victory in Bengal

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party on Tuesday congratulated the Bharatiya Janata Party on its electoral victory in West Bengal and expressed optimism about progress on the long-pending Teesta water-sharing agreement. Speaking on behalf of the BNP, Information Secretary Azizul Baree Helal praised the BJP’s performance under the leadership of Suvendu Adhikari and stated that the political change could strengthen relations between Bangladesh and West Bengal.

Helal said the BJP’s victory would help maintain and improve ties between Bangladesh and the new administration in West Bengal. He stated that the BNP believed cooperation on bilateral issues, particularly the Teesta Barrage agreement, could advance under a BJP-led government in the state. According to him, the previous Trinamool Congress administration led by Mamata Banerjee had acted as an obstacle to the implementation of the agreement.

Referring to the Teesta dispute, Helal stated that both the Bangladesh government and the Narendra Modi government had earlier shown interest in resolving the issue. He expressed the view that the BJP government in West Bengal would align more closely with the Centre on the proposed agreement. The Teesta water-sharing arrangement has remained unresolved for more than a decade because of concerns raised by West Bengal regarding the state’s own agricultural and water requirements.

India and Bangladesh share 54 common rivers, but agreements have so far been finalised only for the Ganga and Kushiyara rivers. The proposed Teesta agreement has remained pending since attempts were made during former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit to Bangladesh in 2011. Under the proposal discussed at the time, Bangladesh was to receive 37.5% of Teesta waters, while India would receive 42.5%. West Bengal opposed the arrangement, stating that it would negatively affect agricultural interests within the state.

Helal also stated that despite ideological differences between the BNP and the BJP, both sides shared common interests on issues involving India-Bangladesh relations and regional cooperation. He said the BNP expected ties between Bangladesh and West Bengal to strengthen further under the new political arrangement. The Teesta dispute continues to remain one of the major unresolved bilateral issues between the two countries, alongside negotiations involving other shared rivers including the Feni.