Chronology of Events - The Ganga: Water Use in the Indian Subcontinent - page 234

Year Event

1979 India's Prime Minister, Morarji Desai visits Dhaka on 16th April and holds

discussions on the Farakka issue and the augmentation schemes with
Bangladesh authorities.
The 17th meeting of the JRC is held in New Delhi from 8th to 12th May and in
Dhaka from 16th to 20th November. India is represented by S. S. Barnala in
New Delhi and by Chaudhury Brahm Prakash in Dhaka sessions and
Bangladesh by Moudad Ahmed, Deputy Prime Minister. It sets up a
committee to recommend formulation of draft terms of reference, jointly by
the governments of India and Bangladesh to the Government of Nepal to
identify specific areas where co-operation of Nepal is necessary and to
recommend the method and manner of approach, keeping in view the Ganga
Water Agreement of 1977.

1980 The 18th meeting of the JRC is held in New Delhi from 27th to 29th February

and from 26th to 28th April. The Indian side is led by A. B. A. Gani Khan
Choudhury, Minister for Energy and Irrigation and Bangladesh by Kazi
Anwarul Haq, Minister for Flood Control. Jamaluddin Ahmed, Deputy Prime
Minister of Bangladesh, attends the meeting in the second phase. The
meeting is inconclusive.
The 19th meeting of the JRC is held in Dhaka from 9th to 11th July. The Indian
side is led by Kedar Pandey, Minister for Irrigation and Bangladesh by Kazi
Anwarul Haq. This meeting is also inconclusive.
The 20th meeting of the JRC is held in New Delhi on 30th and 31st August.
The Indian side is led by Rao Birendra Singh, Minister for Irrigation and
Bangladesh by Kazi Anwarul Haq. This meeting also fails to be
conclusive.
The first review meeting of 1977 agreement is held in Dhaka on 7th November
where the two sides are led by Rao Birendra Singh and Kazi
Anwarul Haq.

1981 The second review meeting is held in New Delhi from 7th to 9th January, led by

the same ministers of two countries.
The 3rd Review meting is held in Dhaka from 2nd to 4th April under the same
leadership. The impact of the sharing of the Ganga water at Farakka on the
two countries and the reasons for the JRC's inability to recommend any
long-term scheme are discussed but no agreement emerges.
President Zia-ur-Rahman of Bangladesh assassinated on 30th May in a military
coup. Justice Abdus Sattar assumes the charge of President.

1982 General Ershad takes charge of President of Bangladesh.

The validity of the water-sharing agreement of 1977 expires on 4th November
after the dry season.
Bangladesh President, H. M. Ershad visits New Delhi in October and discusses
the matter with Indira Gandhi, which led to the signing of a Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU) of two years' validity.

1983 India's Irrigation Minister, Ram Nivas Mridha and Obaidullah Khan, Minister

of Flood Control of Bangladesh discuss the proposal for all-river permanent
water-sharing accord and makes some progress.
In December, the two governments exchange updated technical proposals on
the augmentation schemes.