109. Flood Management in Ganga-Brahmaputra-Meghna Basin: Some Aspects of Regional Cooperation

The Ganges, the Brahmaputra and the Meghna are the three major river systems which flow through both India and Bangladesh and create flood problems in the respective basin areas during monsoon months in both the countries almost every year. The basin scenario and also the flood scenario of the three rivers have been described in brief in the paper. It has been stated by the author that the measures taken by the two countries, both structural and non-structural, have shown positive results in a limited space only without much effect. Specially, the problem in Bangladesh has not been solved so far. The author has suggested that joint measures are to be taken on the basis of mutual understanding and regional co-operation between different affected countries, specially between India and Bangladesh in order to minimise the flood hazards in both the countries. Side-by-side peoples’ participation on regional co-operative basis would minimise the losses due to floods.