Bangladesh State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humayun Kabir on Thursday said the country’s long-standing water-sharing issues with India should be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy, stressing that political will and cooperation on both sides would be essential to making progress. Speaking to reporters after a seminar on water cooperation, Kabir said discussions on transboundary rivers and the future of the Ganges Water Sharing Treaty were continuing. He emphasised that the two countries would need to maintain communication and work towards mutually acceptable solutions rather than allowing differences over shared water resources to become a source of prolonged tension.

Kabir said dialogue remained the most effective way to address Bangladesh’s concerns over shared rivers and water resources with India. “It is only through discussion, dialogue, and diplomacy that these matters will have to be resolved,” he said, adding that international law was also being taken into consideration. His comments underline Dhaka’s preference for a negotiated approach to water-sharing disputes, which involve rivers flowing across national boundaries and have long been an important issue in Bangladesh-India relations. The minister indicated that existing disagreements would require sustained engagement rather than a quick resolution.

The future of the Ganges Water Sharing Treaty is among the issues being discussed between the two countries. The treaty governs the sharing of Ganges river water between India and Bangladesh and has remained an important part of bilateral discussions on transboundary water management. Kabir said talks on the treaty and other water-related matters were ongoing, suggesting that the two sides continued to examine ways to address their concerns. He also stressed the importance of international law in the process, indicating that legal principles governing the use and management of shared water resources were being considered alongside bilateral negotiations.

Also Read: Cristiano Ronaldo Faces Portugal Suspension After Leaving National Team Camp

The Bangladesh minister said an amicable resolution would depend on sincerity and a willingness to cooperate at several levels of government in both countries. He specifically pointed to the importance of engagement among political leadership, senior officials and negotiators. According to Kabir, progress would be difficult without a genuine willingness on both sides to understand each other’s concerns and work towards common ground. “Discussions and dialogues are ongoing and will continue,” he said, while stressing the broader need to strengthen regional cooperation. His remarks suggest that Bangladesh sees continued institutional and diplomatic engagement as necessary for addressing disputes involving shared rivers.

Kabir also said Bangladesh had established a committee to examine the country’s water-sharing issues, while India was reviewing the matters through its own mechanisms. The parallel processes could provide a framework for officials from the two countries to examine technical, legal and diplomatic aspects of the disputes. Water cooperation between India and Bangladesh involves multiple transboundary rivers and issues related to their use can have implications for agriculture, livelihoods and water security. Kabir’s comments indicated that Dhaka wanted these concerns to be addressed through structured discussions and cooperation rather than confrontation.

The minister expressed confidence that a positive outcome would be possible if political leadership on both sides demonstrated the willingness to cooperate. “If the leadership possesses the mindset to come forward and cooperate, we will certainly achieve an amicable and positive resolution,” Kabir said. His remarks place political commitment at the centre of efforts to address the long-standing water-sharing questions between Bangladesh and India. With discussions continuing on the Ganges treaty and other transboundary rivers, Dhaka’s message is that sustained dialogue, diplomacy, international legal considerations and cooperation at multiple levels will be essential to finding a durable solution.

Also Read: YSRCP Seeks All-Party Meeting Ahead Of Andhra Pradesh Local Body Polls