Stem the flow

-- Bangladesh has asked the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to stop loans for the Indian river-linking projects till transboundary disputes are settled. The Bangladesh delegation has suggested that not only should the bank address issues such as providing safe drinking water and sanitation for the poor, it should also involve itself in water resource management at the regional level.

Bangladesh has, time and again, expressed concern over the ecological impact of India's river-linking project on its territory. Specialists at the bank have concurred that cross-border water-sharing is essential for sustainable development in the region. The ADB is a multilateral financial institution that promotes economic and social progress in the Asia-Pacific region.