“Water sharing of common rivers, including Teesta, mainly depends on India”

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has put on India the onus of resolving the issue of water-sharing of common trans-border rivers, including the Teesta.

PM Hasina said the issue of sharing water of common rivers with India is a long-standing issue, and agreements related to this, including Teesta deal, depend mainly on India.

The premier said this in an exclusive interview with Indian news agency Asian News International (ANI), ahead of her four-day official visit to India on September 5, 2022, reports our New Delhi correspondent.

A 35-second teaser of the interview was put on ANI's Twitter account tonight. The 36-minute full interview will be aired on September 5 at 10:00 am (Indian time).

ANI Editor-in-Chief Smita Prakash hosted the interview.

"It's a long-standing problem. So, it should be solved. But it depends mainly on India," Hasina told ANI.

The PM's remarks came on being pointed out by the interviewer "that on water sharing, there has always been trouble. Even on Teesta, after so many years, meetings didn't happen."

In her reply to another question regarding Hindu temples being vandalised in Bangladesh, PM Hasina said, "some incidents sometimes take place but immediately we take action."

When asked whether "people are conflicted about the Rohingyas issue", the prime minister said, "it is a big issue for us. India is a vast country, you can accommodate."

While the water-sharing is expected to feature PM Hasina's talks with her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi on September 6, the Bangladesh side is also going to flag the Rohingya issue while the Indian delegation is likely to bring up the subject of attacks on the Hindu community in Bangladesh.