India denies role in Bangladesh floods, cites ‘heavy inflow, automatic releases’

The Indian Ministry of External Affairs has dismissed claims that the flood in Bangladesh's eastern districts was caused by the opening of the Dumbur dam in Tripura, calling the allegation "factually not correct."

In a statement, the MEA clarified, Heavy rainfall has been ongoing since August 21 across Tripura and the adjoining districts of Bangladesh. Automatic releases of water have occurred due to the heavy inflow.

The statement further explained that the catchment areas of the Gumti River, which flows through both India and Bangladesh, have experienced their heaviest rainfall of the year in recent days. "The flood in Bangladesh is primarily due to waters from these large catchments downstream of the dam," the statement added.

The MEA noted that there are three water level observation sites along the Gumti River—at Amarpur and two at Sonamura. The Amarpur station, which is part of a bilateral protocol, transmits real-time flood data to Bangladesh.

However, the statement acknowledged a failure to share real-time flood data after 6:00pm on August 21, citing "communication problems" due to a power outage.

"As two countries sharing 54 common cross-border rivers, river water cooperation is a crucial aspect of our bilateral engagement. We remain committed to addressing issues and mutual concerns in water resources and river management through bilateral consultations and technical discussions," the statement concluded.

Meanwhile, Ratan Lal Nath, Tripura’s Minister of Power, Agriculture, Farmer's Welfare, and Election Department, on Wednesday said, "No gate has been opened at the Gumti Hydro Electric Project. The reservoir has a storage capacity of up to 94 meters, and the gates operate automatically when this level is exceeded. Currently, 50% of the water is being released through one gate. There is no reason to panic."