By Admin 
Bangladesh and China agreed on Thursday (25 June 2026) to increase cooperation in the management of Teesta and other rivers. According to Bangladesh’s government news agency BSS, this agreement was reached during the meeting of China’s Water Resources Minister Li Guoying with Bangladesh Prime Minister Tariq Rahman present in Beijing. After becoming the PM of Bangladesh, Tariq Rahman went to Malaysia on his first foreign trip. On June 22, he reached China’s Dalian city from Malaysia’s capital Kuala Lumpur, where he participated in a program of the World Economic Forum.
Consensus reached regarding Teesta river management
Tariq Rahman, during the meeting with Li Qing, outlined the program to desilt rivers in Bangladesh, which aims to reduce the risk of floods, protect the environment and ensure proper management of water resources. During the meeting, Rahman sought cooperation from China to improve Bangladesh’s water resources management. The Bangladeshi Prime Minister also sought technical assistance from China for the Teesta Management Project. In response, the Chinese minister assured full support to the Bangladesh government’s initiatives in water resources management.
Tariq Rehman asked for help from China
Referring to the agreement signed between Dhaka and Beijing in 2005 and the visit of Chinese water experts to Bangladesh last year, Li Qing said that mutual cooperation between the two countries in the field of water resources management is based on practical and research. Tariq Rahman also sought China’s help in preventing river bank erosion in Bangladesh, improving irrigation systems and enhancing water transportation within the country.
Teesta project sensitive issue in India-Bangladesh relations
According to BSS, the Chinese minister said Bangladesh could benefit from China’s experience in the field of water management and invited Bangladeshi water experts and relevant officials to undergo training in China. Teesta project is a sensitive issue in India-Bangladesh relations. There have been signs of improvement in these relations after the Rahman government assumed power in February. Before this, there was a brief tenure of the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus, during which relations between New Delhi and Dhaka had deteriorated.
When Foreign Minister Khalilur Rehman visited Beijing last month, the Rehman government formally sought China’s participation and support for the Teesta River Rejuvenation Project. The Teesta River originates in the Eastern Himalayas and enters Bangladesh via Sikkim and West Bengal where it is a main source of irrigation and livelihood for millions of people. China has been showing interest in developing a comprehensive management and revitalization project of the Teesta River for many years.
This project is near Chicken Neck
The project is located near India’s sensitive Siliguri Corridor (Chicken Neck), which connects the mainland with the north-eastern states. Against this backdrop, India offered technical and conservation assistance for the Teesta Basin in 2024, reflecting Delhi’s efforts to deepen cooperation with Dhaka on the management of trans-border rivers. Water distribution has been an important issue in the relations between India and Bangladesh. This issue has become even more important because the 30-year treaty signed in 1996 between India and Bangladesh on sharing of Ganga river water (especially during the dry season) is about to expire this year.
Also read: India-Bangladesh Relations: Dhaka’s stubborn stance on Bangladesh PM Tariq Rehman’s advisor, tension with India may increase further