Ganga Treaty renewal in doubt as December deadline nears: How Nahid Islam’s NCP and Jamaat are weaponising Matarbari Port to fuel anti-India hate in Bangladesh

What happened: With the 30-year Ganga Water Treaty expiring on 12 December, New Delhi has signalled it is unlikely to roll over the agreement without a visit by Bangladeshi Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, while Bihar is opposing straightforward renewal. Key numbers: Treaty expires 12 December; 1996 agreement; 1977 Why it matters: The diplomatic vacuum has been filled by opposition politics, with Nahid Islam's NCP and Jamaat-e-Islami using water-sharing and the Japan-funded Matarbari port project to fuel anti-India rhetoric, which the content says threatens to poison bilateral relations.

With the 30-year Ganga Water Treaty expiring on 12 December, New Delhi has signalled it is unlikely to roll over the agreement without a visit by Bangladeshi Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, while Bihar is opposing straightforward renewal.

The diplomatic vacuum has been filled by opposition politics, with Nahid Islam's NCP and Jamaat-e-Islami using water-sharing and the Japan-funded Matarbari port project to fuel anti-India rhetoric, which the content says threatens to poison bilateral relations.