Dalia, Lalmonirhat– A sudden surge in the Teesta River’s water level during the dry season has raised serious concerns among farmers and residents along its banks in the Dalia barrage area. The unexpected increase threatens crops cultivated on the river’s shifting sandbanks, sparking fears of significant agricultural losses.
Farmer Abdul Matin expressed his anxiety to BA saying, “I have cultivated garlic and onion on three bigha of land along the river’s newly formed banks. If India releases water, my crops will be submerged. Now I am deeply worried about my harvest.”
According to the Water Development Board (WDB), water level readings at Dalia point were recorded at 49.75 meters on Friday from 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM. However, starting Saturday afternoon, the river’s flow began to rise. By Saturday at 6:00 PM, the water level had reached 50.10 meters—still below the danger mark of 52.15 meters—but continued to inch upward, recording 50.16 meters on Sunday morning.
Nurul Islam, the water level operator at the Teesta barrage, explained the situation, “India’s recent release of water is causing the rise, and we cannot predict how much water will eventually come down.”
In an effort to manage the situation, authorities at the Dalia barrage have opened three of the 44 available water gates—each set at 6.5 feet—to help expedite water discharge and mitigate potential damage. Despite these measures, local farmers remain concerned about the fate of their fields, which include crops such as garlic, onion, sweet pumpkin, lentils, and various nuts.
The rising water comes at a critical time. A 48-hour sit-in protest demanding fair water distribution along the Teesta River is scheduled for February 17 and 18. Organized under the banner “Jagao Bahe Teesta Bachai” (Awaken, Let Teesta Survive), the demonstration aims to highlight the longstanding issues of inequitable water sharing between India and Bangladesh.
Asadul Habib Dulu, coordinator of the Teesta River Protection Movement and former minister associated with BNPP, affirmed the protest’s continuity:
“Despite the recent water surge, our planned 48-hour sit-in on February 17 and 18 will go ahead.”
Local voices echo this sentiment. Farmer Kadom Ali remarked, “We were ready to protest over Teesta water rights, and now India’s sudden water release appears to be an attempt to undermine our efforts. This is highly unusual for the dry season.”
Similarly, Sattar Mian from Aditomari’s Govardhan area stated, “With millions expected to participate, we will press for proper Teesta excavation and fair water rights. The abrupt water increase only disrupts our rightful demands.”
The Teesta River, which originates in the Himalayas and flows through India’s Sikkim and West Bengal before entering Bangladesh, has long been a contentious transboundary waterway. Spanning 414 kilometers, the river is vital for the agricultural livelihoods of communities on both sides of the border. Bangladesh, which relies on water from 57 international rivers for nearly 90 percent of its supply, has frequently found itself at the mercy of upstream decisions.
The dispute over Teesta water is rooted in decades of contention. Since India’s construction of the Gajoldoba dam in 1975 for flood control and irrigation in West Bengal, Bangladesh has struggled with water shortages during the dry season and unpredictable flows during the monsoon. Despite a 15-year water-sharing agreement in 2011—which allocated 42.5 percent of Teesta’s water to India and 37.5 percent to Bangladesh—the deal has faced implementation challenges, partly due to internal political dynamics in West Bengal.
Executive Engineer Amitabh Chowdhury noted that variations in the river’s flow are not uncommon during the dry season. He detailed that water discharges have ranged from 1,854 to 3,600 cusecs over the past week. “While these fluctuations are typical, sustained inflow might lead to further rises that could endanger crops and livelihoods,” he explained.
For many local residents, India’s unilateral decisions regarding water release intensify a long-standing sense of injustice. The planned sit-in protest underscores their demand for equitable water sharing and better management of the Teesta’s resources—a struggle that has spanned decades and remains unresolved.
As the dry season endures, communities along the Teesta River continue to balance the immediate threat to their agricultural lands with the broader, ongoing fight for fair water rights. With the 48-hour protest looming, both farmers and activists remain vigilant, hoping that prompt action by authorities can avert further damage and finally address the chronic water-sharing impasse between India and Bangladesh.
