West Bengal is planning to dig two new canals to divert more water from the Teesta River for irrigation, and set up two hydropower projects on its tributary.

The Joint Rivers Commission has not been much effective in resolving the issues of water sharing of transboundary rivers due to a lack of commitment from India and also for Bangladesh’s technical incapacity to be persuasive.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is set to visit India on September 6-7 for a bilateral meeting with her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi.

A secretary-level talks of the Joint Rivers Commission (JRC) between Bangladesh and India will be held in Dhaka. The seven-hour long meeting will begin at the state guest house Jamuna at 10:30am after eight years to discuss a joint effort to ensure the best use of the Ganges water.