Bangladesh Becomes First South Asian Nation to Join UN Water Convention

In a landmark move, Bangladesh has officially acceded to the UN Water Convention in 2025, becoming the first South Asian country to do so. This decision signals a significant shift in the region’s approach to transboundary water governance and could impact existing bilateral water-sharing dynamics, particularly with India. As global water stress intensifies, Bangladesh’s accession represents a strategic step to secure its interests through a multilateral legal framework.

What Is the UN Water Convention?

Formally known as the Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes, the UN Water Convention is a legally binding international treaty focused on managing shared water bodies sustainably and equitably.

• Adopted: 1992 in Helsinki
• Came into force: 1996 under the UNECE (United Nations Economic Commission for Europe)
• Global reach: Open to all UN member states since 2016

The Convention provides a robust legal framework to prevent water-related conflicts and foster cooperation among riparian nations, especially those sharing transboundary rivers, lakes, and aquifers.

Key Features of the Water Convention

Bangladesh’s decision to join is rooted in the Convention’s unique features,

• Cooperative Governance: Mandates shared water management through formal agreements and joint institutional bodies
• Equitable Utilization Principle: Ensures fair and reasonable use of shared waters, while preventing significant transboundary harm
• Conflict Prevention Mechanism: Offers a structured platform to peacefully resolve water disputes
• SDG Alignment: Advances SDG 6.5 (integrated water resources management) and supports broader goals like food security (SDG 2), climate action (SDG 13), and peaceful institutions (SDG 16)
• Global Inclusion: Countries like Chad, Ghana, Iraq, Nigeria, The Gambia, Namibia, and Panama have joined in recent years, showing its growing global relevance

Bangladesh’s Strategic Motivation

Bangladesh shares 54 rivers with India, including the Teesta and Ganga, which are vital for its agriculture, drinking water, and ecosystem sustainability. Persistent delays in finalising the Teesta water-sharing agreement, along with increasing upstream water withdrawals, have heightened Bangladesh’s need for a legal and cooperative international framework.

By joining the Water Convention, Bangladesh now has,

• An international legal platform to raise its concerns
• Access to global mechanisms for water governance support
• A chance to build alliances with other member countries to amplify its voice

Implications for India and Regional Water Diplomacy

India has not joined the UN Water Convention. It continues to rely on bilateral treaties like,

• Indus Waters Treaty (1960) with Pakistan
• Ganga Water Sharing Treaty (1996) with Bangladesh

India prefers resolving transboundary water issues through basin-level or bilateral negotiations, citing concerns over externalising sensitive issues and limiting diplomatic flexibility.