Bangladesh is a country with many types of shared resources, which shared with many other countries. If Bangladesh properly maintains all the resources of its own country, those with whom it’s being shared also need to maintain properly. If they don’t keep it in proper way then Bangladesh will be a victim of transboundary pollution. Bangladesh and India are neighbors, who shared the water of 54 transboundary rivers. Teesta is a shared resource which is a major tributary of the Brahmaputra River system, on which both countries have constructed irrigation barrages. This river is essential for transporting construction materials from one location to another, agricultural water sources, navigation, fisheries, groundwater contribution, etc.
Transboundary harm refers to the danger of damage arising outside the country in which a risk-causing operation is conducted. According to experts, India constructed an agricultural dam on it which creating the evolution of water for which the Teesta barrage irrigation area in Lalmonirhat has dried up and also said the section of the Teesta has dried up and its environment is jeopardy because water flow was stuck in India. The river became heavily silted due to the barrages and many hydroelectric dam construction methods. Which has negatively impacted on five districts in Bangladesh and several districts are experiencing severe shortages during the dry season.
Many transboundary environmental pollutions can be noticed in Bangladesh due to getting stuck water flow of this river. It has a major impact on the hydrology of this River. Decreased flow in the Teesta system salinity increased. The use of saline water for irrigation impairs soil quality and interferes with agricultural work. Saline water causes damage to wetland and forest ecosystems. Salinity poses a threat to the environment and also health risks due to clean water shortage. Many dams and embankments have been constructed in this river system by Bangladesh and India to manage the flood and promote irrigation, but their contribution to flood control is limited compared to estimates, as many studies have shown. As a result, when heavy rainfalls occur in the upstream region, Bangladesh suffers from floods as a downstream region. Floods increase the amount of water in the forest and increase the salinity of the soil. For which many wood species are harmed. Floods can cause river erosion. Every year, Bangladesh suffers riverbank erosion owing to significant seasonal fluctuations in river flows and steady depletion of those due to higher sediment deposition. The sedimentation reduces the water holding capacity of the river. The Teesta and its tributaries pass through Bangladesh’s northern region, which is naturally vulnerable to drought which is affecting agricultural productivity of farmers and increases poverty.
Which shows that India indirectly violates the No-harm principle through their work which is against this principle. No country has right to obstruct the flow of international rivers. This principle concept is not working effectively due to lack of international collaboration and common wisdom in water sharing problems among these countries. Laws and legislation often need to be closely implemented in order to handle transboundary pollution.
Farjana Binte Wohab
Department of Environmental Science and Management,
North South University
