Bangladesh State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir has said political and institutional sincerity from both Bangladesh and India is essential to settle long-standing disputes over the sharing of transboundary rivers.

Progress, he said, depends on willingness to cooperate at every level political leadership, senior officials and water negotiators.

“If there is sincerity between both countries at the senior official level, leadership level, and among the water negotiators working from both sides… we have formed a water committee,” he told reporters after a seminar on Thursday.

He expressed hope that a positive outcome is possible if the leadership of the two countries adopts a cooperative approach.

“If the leadership possesses the mindset to come forward and cooperate, we will certainly achieve an amicable and positive resolution on this issue,” he said.

According to UNB, Humaiun said Bangladesh continues to rely on dialogue and diplomacy as the main means of addressing water-sharing concerns with India.

“It is only through discussion, dialogue, and diplomacy that these matters will have to be resolved,” he said.

He added that Bangladesh is also taking international law into account while formulating its position on transboundary water issues.

“The positions of international law are also being taken into consideration. So, this is where we stand right now,” the state minister said.

Bangladesh and India share 54 transboundary rivers, including the Ganges, Teesta, Brahmaputra, Surma-Kushiyara and Feni. The Joint Rivers Commission remains the main bilateral platform for discussions on their management and sharing.

Talks are continuing through existing bilateral mechanisms, Humaiun said, while Bangladesh is also seeking stronger regional cooperation.

“Discussions and dialogues are ongoing and will continue here. From our standpoint, regional cooperation needs to be enhanced,” he told reporters.

The 1996 Ganges Water Sharing Treaty is still the principal agreement governing the sharing of Ganges waters. Bangladesh has been seeking a renewed arrangement that would better protect its interests, especially during the dry season.

The seminar focused on strengthening Bangladesh’s water diplomacy through multilateral platforms and exploring cooperation with like-minded countries. Participants also discussed inclusive governance, public-private partnerships in transboundary water management and greater youth participation in water governance and decision-making.

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