A Bangladesh Opposition leader has warned against any move to facilitate an Indian transit corridor through the country and called for a fair water-sharing agreement with New Delhi ahead of the expiry of the Ganges treaty in December, according to local media reports.
National Citizen Party (NCP) convener Nahid Islam made the remarks at a rally in Dhaka on Friday (October 30, 2026), attended by hundreds of supporters.
It was primarily organised
uncertain
It → warn → supporters
In the rally, the NCP leader also accused Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's government of seeking to facilitate an Indian transit corridor through the country.
He also threatened fresh protests if the Ganges water-sharing agreement was not renewed on terms that protected Bangladesh's share of the river's waters, according to Bangladeshi newspaper Prothom Alo and the bdnews24 news website.
uncertain
that → accuse → newspaper
The NCP is a political party formed in February 2025 by leaders of the student-led movement that spearheaded the July-August 2024 protests, which led to the ouster of then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
asserted
which → form → Hasina
"Japan is trying to create a corridor through Bangladesh once again.
asserted
Japan → try → Bangladesh
The government is trying to hand over the illegal corridor to India.
asserted
government → try → India
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, we want to say clearly that the people of Bangladesh will not accept any such illegal corridor," bdnews24 quoted Mr. Nahid as saying.
asserted
bdnews24 → want → Nahid
Mr. Rahman visited Japan from October 26 to 29, during which the two countries agreed to upgrade their Bay of Bengal Industrial Growth Belt (BIG-B) initiative into a new strategic cooperation initiative focused on strengthening connectivity, preparing for natural disasters and geopolitical risks, promoting public-private partnerships for economic growth, and cooperation for peace and stability.
The two sides also agreed to work towards developing the Bay of Bengal region, with Bangladesh as its hub, into a region of shared prosperity.
asserted
sides → visit → prosperity
Separately, Japan is supporting the development of the Matarbari deep-sea port in southeastern Bangladesh through financing from its development agency, JICA.
asserted
Japan → support → agency
Japanese officials have previously outlined a broader regional connectivity vision centred on the port, envisaging an industrial value chain linking India's northeastern states with the Bay of Bengal and Southeast Asia through Bangladesh.
asserted
officials → outline → Bangladesh
However, Bangladesh's State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir said on Friday (October 30, 2026) that no third-country issue was discussed during Mr. Rahman's Japan visit.
asserted
issue → say → visit
"We made it very clear... no third country reference.
asserted
it → make → ?
We didn't go there to discuss the Bay of Bengal because the Bay of Bengal doesn't belong to us only," he told reporters, according to Dhaka Tribune.
uncertain
he → go → Tribune
Mr. Kobir said the discussions focused on the economic partnership between Bangladesh and Japan.
asserted
discussions → say → Bangladesh
He added that if matters involving other countries had to be discussed, representatives of those countries would need to be present at the table, UNB news agency reported.
asserted
agency → add → table
Meanwhile, India on October 28 said it would further strengthen its partnership with Japan, including initiatives involving the northeastern states, hours after Bangladesh PM Rahman and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi agreed to enhance regional connectivity and signed agreements providing for additional Japanese assistance to Bangladesh's Matarbari deep-sea port.
asserted
Rahman → say → port
We also have several initiatives involving northeast [India] and Japan, and we would like to further strengthen these linkages," Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in New Delhi.
asserted
Jaiswal → have → Delhi
The other major India-related issue raised by Mr. Nahid was the Ganges water-sharing treaty, which expires on December 12.
asserted
which → relate → December
Mr. Nahid warned that Bangladeshis would take to the streets if the Ganges agreement was not fairly renewed.
asserted
agreement → warn → streets
"This time we will not give up even a single bit of our fair share in the Ganga Water Treaty," he said, according to bdnews24.
uncertain
he → give → bdnews24
Signed on December 12, 1996, the 30-year treaty governs the sharing of the Ganges waters between India and Bangladesh at the Farakka Barrage in West Bengal during the lean season, from January to May.
uncertain
treaty → sign → May
Bangladesh has been seeking a new or revised, longer-term agreement with a guarantee clause to protect its share of the river's waters during the dry season.
asserted
Bangladesh → seek → season
India has said that discussions on water-sharing and other issues concerning the 54 rivers shared by the two countries take place through the bilateral Joint Rivers Commission (JRC), established in 1972 to address issues of mutual interest concerning common, border and transboundary rivers.
asserted
discussions → say → rivers
MEA spokesperson Jaiswal said in September that technical-level meetings on the Ganges Water-Sharing Treaty has continued.
asserted
meetings → say → Treaty
The Aporia
