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News Topical, Digital Desk : Relations between India and Bangladesh are deepening in the region. Amid these strained relations, Chinese Ambassador Yao Wen visited a project site on the Teesta River on Monday.
It is very close to India's Siliguri Corridor, also known as the Chicken's Neck. This is a 22-kilometer narrow strip of land that connects the northeastern states to the Indian mainland.
The visit was related to ongoing technical inspections under the Teesta River Comprehensive Management and Restoration Project. Bangladesh's interim government last year made controversial statements, including praising China's economic expansion and describing India's northeast as “landlocked.”
China in a hurry to complete the Teesta project
Bangladesh's Water Resources Advisor, Syeda Rizwana Hasan, accompanied Yao Wen to the Shahbazpur area of Tefamadhupur Taluk in Rangpur. She said that China is eager to implement the Teesta Master Plan (TMP) as soon as possible. Both countries are committed to implementing the TMP, but the project's inspection process has not yet been completed, so work cannot begin now.
Speaking to local journalists, Rizwana Hasan said that China wants to complete this major project without any errors, as the people of Bangladesh have high expectations from it. She stressed that both governments are committed to protecting the livelihoods of riverside residents and combating flood and erosion.
How important is Teesta for India?
For Bangladesh, the Teesta is the foundation of agriculture and livelihoods in the northern districts. For India, especially West Bengal, the river is equally vital. Negotiations on the Teesta water-sharing have been ongoing for decades, but a final agreement has not been reached due to concerns from the West Bengal government.
The project involves extensive dredging, building strong embankments, and reclaiming land for agriculture. China's participation could benefit Bangladesh, but could raise regional sensitivities for India, as it is located near the Chicken's Neck.
China's rapprochement with the Yunus government
On Sunday, Yao Wen met with Bangladesh's National Security Advisor Khalilur Rahman. After the meeting, Yunus' press wing posted on X that the two sides discussed issues of mutual interest and reaffirmed the long-standing friendship and development cooperation between Bangladesh and China.
The talks covered the Teesta River Comprehensive Management and Restoration Project and the proposed Bangladesh-China Friendship Hospital. Yao Wen said he would visit the Teesta Project area and reiterated China's commitment to the early completion of ongoing technical inspections.
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