| Riku Yuma |
In a landmark move, Bangladesh became the first South Asian nation to join the UN Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes. While the decision may seem primarily diplomatic, for Bangladesh, it is a matter of survival.
Water is life in Bangladesh. Half the population lives under the shadow of drought, while floods submerge a quarter of the country each year. Climate change, population growth and vanishing rivers compound the crisis, leaving over 65 million people without access to safe sanitation. Joining the UN Water Convention gives Bangladesh a legal and international framework to safeguard its waterways.
In his recent commentary for South Asia Newslog, Ranasinghe S Joseph explored the implications of Bangladesh’s decision, expanding on The Conversation article by Pintu Kumar Mahla. It was very interesting.
Mahla highlights that Bangladesh’s rivers are largely transboundary, flowing through India and China, leaving the country vulnerable to its neighbors’ decisions. India, in particular, remains cautious, fearing that international frameworks could disrupt existing treaties like the 1996 Ganges Water Treaty. Proposed institutional reforms to manage shared rivers are seen in Dhaka as a path toward fairness, but in New Delhi, they are viewed with suspicion, particularly regarding their potential to affect India’s already water-stressed regions.
Joseph expands on Mahla’s analysis, arguing that Bangladesh’s move could have broader regional consequences. If successful, it could set a precedent for Nepal, Bhutan and other countries in the region. Mahla notes that Bangladesh’s pursuit of trilateral cooperation with China and Pakistan introduces new dynamics into an already complex geopolitical landscape. In a region long defined by historical rivalries, water is emerging as both a lifeline and a source of tension.
Bangladesh’s step onto the international stage is a reminder that in South Asia, climate pressures and water scarcity are no longer just environmental issues—they are existential ones. Survival, it seems, demands both diplomacy and calculated risk.
Asia Pacific Newslog 