The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has formally congratulated the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on its victory in the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections, viewing the outcome as a potential turning point for resolving the longstanding Teesta river water sharing dispute. Azizul Baree Helal, BNP's Information Secretary, stated the BJP's win under Chief Minister-designate Suvendu Adhikari could enable alignment between the central and state governments on finalizing the agreement.

Helal told news agency ANI that the previous Trinamool Congress administration, led by Mamata Banerjee, had been an impediment to the Teesta Barrage project, which both the Indian and Bangladeshi governments have long sought to advance. He expressed hope that the new BJP-led government in West Bengal would support the central government's position and allow the 2011 draft agreement—allocating 37.5% of Teesta waters to Bangladesh—to move forward.

The Teesta dispute remains unresolved despite multiple rounds of talks; Bangladesh has consistently pressed for an equitable sharing mechanism similar to the 1996 Ganga Water Treaty. Current arrangements rely on a 1983 ad-hoc agreement that was never fully implemented, and downstream regions in Bangladesh face water shortages during lean seasons, worsening agricultural and ecological conditions.

India and Bangladesh share 54 rivers, but only two water-sharing treaties are in force—the Ganga and Kushiyara agreements. Negotiations on other rivers, including Teesta and Feni, remain pending.

The BNP emphasized that despite ideological differences with the BJP, national interests such as transboundary water cooperation take precedence. Officials in Dhaka await signals from the new West Bengal administration on whether it will engage constructively on the Teesta issue. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs has not issued a comment. The next round of bilateral water talks is scheduled for July 2026.