The barrage issue became talk of the town after Chief Minister Nitish Kumar of the Indian state of Bihar recently urged the country’s central government to decommission the controversial barrage. According to Indian media reporters Nitish renewed the demand, noting that the barrage had lost its utility and was causing floods in the state over the years. Nitish claimed there was no benefit from the barrage, which has been the genesis of recurring floods saying: The barrage needs to be decommissioned to ensure the natural flow of the Ganga for its rejuvenation and better silt management. The CM said many experts had endorsed his views on the barrage. On August 22 last year, he during a meeting with India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged the same. Experts, environmentalists and authorities concerned in Bangladesh made mixed reactions on the matter. Bangladesh Water Resource Ministry’s Additional Secretary (Development) Dr Mohammad Ali Khan said, Decommissioning Farakka Barrage is up to the policy-making level of India and Bangladesh while our prime concern is getting rightful share of water according to the 1996 Indo-Bangla water-sharing agreement. Institute of Water Modelling’s Executive Director Dr M Monowar Hossain said the objective for building the dam was fulfilled. If the dam was decommissioned, Bangladesh may get some more water. Usually a river dam has working capacity for about 50 years while Farakka Barrage has already passed some 46 years, he said. The barrage has already caused irreparable losses in agriculture, fisheries and the Sundarbans, he further said. However, Bangladesh-India Joint River Commission’s Director Md Mahmudur Rahman refused saying anything on this issue, which he termed a matter of the two governments and concerned ministries. Syeda Rizwana Hasan, president of Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association’s said, If India, an upper riparian country, is facing difficulties due to the barrage, the state of lower riparian Bangladesh is easily understandable. Emphasising on addressing multilateral conflict in South Asia over water sharing, Dr Md Ataur Rahman, a water resource expert, said: It is not important for Bangladesh whether India decommissions the barrage or not. We have to develop regional cooperation with India and Nepal regarding the Gange’s water distribution. He suggested that Bangladesh renew the agreement in time before it expires. The effectiveness of the 30-year-long agreement will be over after 2026, and it is high time the government ensured its renewal. Otherwise, Bangladesh may suffer in the long run as the demand and usage of water in India is massively increasing, he feared. On contrary, Professor Emirates Ainun Nishat, also a water expert, did not blame the barrage for floods in Bihar, as he found during monsoon was normal. According to him, there was nothing wrong with the water sharing deal, since Bangladesh had been getting water in its accordance. There are four Bangladeshi officials in India and two Indian officials in Bangladesh monitoring water discharge through the barrage regularly, he said, terming allegation of Bangladesh getting little water baseless. According to the deal, India has to supply 35,000 cusec of water to Bangladesh between January 1 and May 31, which is not being distributed properly. It has been experienced that the Padma basin in Bangladesh was affected with severe drought as India does not supply necessary water in summer. The affected areas in Bangladesh are flooded badly in rainy season when India opens up the barrage. National Committee for Protection of Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, Power and Ports Member Secretary Anu Muhammad said : An independent committee should be formed to figure out the losses the country incurs in agriculture, climate and environment, fisheries, and other sectors because of the barrage. After estimating the losses, Bangladesh can negotiate with India for compensation, he suggested.