Amidst severe flooding affecting at least eight districts in Bangladesh, accusations have emerged from protesters, particularly students at Jagannath University (JnU), blaming India for the situation. These protesters claim that India’s release of water from the Dumboor and Gazaldoba dams without prior notice to Dhaka caused the floods. However, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has firmly refuted these claims, stating that the flooding in Bangladesh is not a result of water releases from Indian dams.
In a statement released on Thursday, the MEA clarified that the heavy rainfall experienced in the Gumti River’s catchment areas, which extend across both India and Bangladesh, is the primary cause of the flooding. This rainfall, the statement emphasizes, has been the heaviest recorded this year in the region.
The MEA further explained that the Dumboor dam, located over 120 kilometers upstream from Bangladesh, is a relatively low-height dam (approximately 30 meters) primarily used for power generation. Notably, Bangladesh itself draws 40 MW of power from this dam via the Tripura grid.
To support its claims, the MEA highlighted that it operates three water level observation sites along the Gumti River’s course, located at Amarpur, Sonamura, and Sonamura 2. Data from these sites indicate that continuous rainfall has persisted in Tripura and adjacent Bangladeshi districts since August 21.
The MEA concluded its statement by emphasizing the importance of river water cooperation between India and Bangladesh, given their shared border along 54 rivers. The ministry reaffirmed its commitment to addressing water resource and river water management concerns through bilateral consultations and technical discussions.
While some Bangladeshi students have accused India of exacerbating the flooding situation, no official Bangladeshi authority has publicly blamed India for the floods. Despite this, the accusations highlight the sensitive nature of water resources in the region, particularly given the shared river systems and the potential for tensions to arise when natural disasters occur.
