In a statement on Friday, the IFC said this has now been the universally accepted formula of sharing rivers.
IFC, the international environmental organisation and water rights watch group, said the leaders of the two countries only need to consult their water and environment experts to reconfirm and accept this and further strengthen their friendship.
The statement came in the wake of the assertion of Indian External Affairs Minister Dr Jaishankar that Bangladesh and India are working to find ‘mutually acceptable formulas’ to share water from 54 common rivers keeping India’s commitment to resolving the Teesta issue unchanged.
Leaders of the IFC referred to decisions given by the apex courts in Bangladesh and India declaring rivers as living entities and said the two neighbouring countries are thus also legally and ethically bound to keep the common rivers alive.
The signatories to the statement are - Atiqur Rahman Salu, chairman and Sayed Tipu Sultan, secretary-general, IFC, New York; Prof. Jasim Uddin Ahmad, president, Dr SI Khan, senior vice-president, IFC, Bangladesh, and Mostafa Kamal Majumder, Coordinator, IFC.