India’s MEA has addressed and dismissed concerns that the ongoing flood situation in eastern Bangladesh was triggered by the release of water from the Dumbur dam in Tripura. In a statement released on Thursday, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) categorically denied these claims, emphasizing that the notion was “factually incorrect.”
The MEA’s response came in light of growing concerns in Bangladesh, where it was suggested that the opening of the Dumbur dam, located upstream of the Gumti River in Tripura, was responsible for the severe flooding in the border districts of Bangladesh. India, however, clarified that this was not the case. “We have seen concerns being expressed in Bangladesh that the current situation of flood in districts on the eastern borders of Bangladesh has been caused by the opening of the Dumbur dam upstream of the Gumti River in Tripura. This is factually not correct,” the statement read.
Indian government explains
The Indian government provided further context, explaining that the heavy rains over the last few days in the catchment areas of the Gumti River, which flows through both India and Bangladesh, were the primary cause of the flooding. “We would like to point out that the catchment areas of the Gumti river that flows through India and Bangladesh have witnessed the heaviest rains of this year over the last few days,” the statement continued, highlighting that the flood was “primarily due to waters from these large catchments downstream of the dam.”
The Dumbur dam, India clarified, is located over 120 kilometers upstream of the Bangladesh border, making it an unlikely source of the floodwaters affecting Bangladesh. The dam, which is relatively low in height at about 30 meters, is primarily used for power generation. “The Dumbur dam is located quite far from the border – over 120 km upstream of Bangladesh. It is a low height (about 30m) dam that generates power that feeds into a grid and from which Bangladesh also draws 40MW power from Tripura,” the MEA noted.
MEA’s statement
India also mentioned that along the approximately 120-kilometer course of the Gumti River, there are three water level observation sites—Amarpur, Sonamura, and Sonamura 2—where data is regularly monitored and shared. The MEA stressed that the heavy rainfall in Tripura and adjacent districts of Bangladesh has been ongoing since August 21, resulting in natural and automatic water releases due to the increased inflow.
In addition, the statement highlighted India’s commitment to maintaining communication with Bangladesh, especially during such critical situations. “Amarpur station is part of a bilateral protocol under which we are transmitting real-time flood data to Bangladesh… Data showing a rising trend has been supplied to Bangladesh up to 1500 hrs on 21 August 2024. At 1800 hrs, due to flooding, there was a power outage, leading to problems of communication. Still, we have tried to maintain communication through other means created for the urgent transmission of data,” the statement elaborated.
The MEA also underscored the need for continued cooperation between the two neighboring countries in managing the challenges posed by common rivers. “Floods on the common rivers between India and Bangladesh are a shared problem inflicting sufferings on people on both sides and require close mutual cooperation towards resolving them,” the statement asserted.
India-Bangladesh share borders
As both India and Bangladesh share 54 common cross-border rivers, river water management and cooperation remain crucial elements of their bilateral relations. The Indian government reaffirmed its commitment to resolving water-related issues through ongoing consultations and technical discussions. “As two countries sharing 54 common cross-border rivers, river water cooperation is an important part of our bilateral engagement. We remain committed to resolving issues and mutual concerns in water resources and river water management through bilateral consultations and technical discussions,” the statement concluded.
