Bangladesh got substantially less water in the last eight-day cycle of February than stipulated in the recently concluded Ganges Water Treaty with India. The difference stood at 112, 274 cusecs for the cycle. And for the last day of the cycle. February 28. Bangladesh received just about half of what it had received the same day in the previous year — 24.5 thousand cusecs as against 48 thousand. These are figures from an agency report quoting official sources now busy monitoring water movement at the Hardinge point.

There must be explanations for how this could come to pass and when--would the flow pick up to agreed levels with the extra quanta required to make up for tile’ February shortage.

But such explanations, are not simply forthcoming from the government or any authorised joint agency of the two nations. If no irremediable and unforeseen hydrological problem had hit the supply arrangements, the Bangladesh quota should be on an even keel very soon. The important thing to realise is. if the broad masses of our people as well as the opinion shaping classes are somehow persuaded by these figures to mistrust the Intentions of India, the clock of progress in the relations between our two nations could be set back.

This all for what? For lack of transparency. Why shouldn't the Hardinge point readings be published daily along with the ten-day cycle figures contained in the treaty for comparison. Why shouldn't this be published with explanations of discrepancies between the two, if any? This is not much work. Even it were, government must on’ pain of losing ground, undertake and perform it in order to keep things clear and set the records straight.

To have inked the Ganges water sharing treaty opening the portals to the solution of problems of several other rivers running through both our two nations, at the very outset of this government's tenure, was truly heroic. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and water minister Abdur Razzak were till the very last moment subjects of incredulity but they pulled it off all right, beating expectations even of the most optimistic. Why should the government be found wanting now in operating a mechanism to keep the nation posted with all the information relating to the implementation of the treaty? We demand that Mr. Razzak take a particular interest in setting this awful lapse right.