PM Modi's Bangladesh visit: India may agree to request for barrage on Ganga

NEW DELHI: India may concede, during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s upcoming visit to Dhaka, Bangladesh’s long-standing request to build a barrage on the river Ganges that flows into the neighbouring country and also offer to make investments in the project in view of China’s willingness to fund the proposed dam.

The project is likely to find a mention in the India-Bangladesh joint statement during Modi’s two-day visit from Saturday, officials from Dhaka said.

Meanwhile, in a statement issued on Thursday night, Modi informed that he will visit the Ramakrishna Mission as well as the famous Dhakeshwari Temple in Dhaka during his trip.

While thanking various political parties as well as CMs of various states for smooth passage of Land Boundary Agreement Bill in Parliament, Modi informed that he along with Bangla PM and Mamata Banerjee will flag off bus services on Kolkata-Dhaka-Agartala and Dhaka-Shillong-Guwahati routes. He also listed various infrastructure and development projects that he will launch with Sheikh Hasina.

India has agreed to allow Bangladesh to construct the barrage that will benefit farmers across the border after withholding its support to the project for over a decade.

Officials said that India’s objection to the project stems from the fear that areas of West Bengal might get submerged after the barrage is built. The project cannot proceed without India’s green signal.

India started softening its stance on the matter about two years ago and the matter was discussed when Bangladesh foreign minister Mahmud Ali visited Delhi last year. The Bangladesh government has assured India that there will be no adverse impact on India following the barrage.

India’s approval seems driven by the fact that China has been moving fast to fund yet another project in its neighbourhood. A Chinese state-run body is already engaged in the survey for the project and after India’s entry, Bangladesh will form an international consortium to build the project, officials from Dhaka indicated. World Bank could also be part of the consortium for the project that is estimated to cost $400 million, they said.

The project, which will extend to the Indian border, could take up to seven years to complete. Bangladesh government officials said this project could help in internal navigation, irrigation and fisheries as well as hydel power production in the southwestern part of the country.