ABSTRACT
Nature has irrevocably destined the South Asian countries of Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Bhutan to be geographical neighbours and to share three mighty common river systems, namely, the Ganges, the Brahmaputra, and the Meghna (GBM) (Figure 15.1). It stands to reason, therefore, that they work together within a mutually beneficial framework to develop and manage the waters of these river systems and equitably share the benefits in terms of direct uses of water (for example, in household, agriculture, industry, fishery, and forestry) and the use of hydro-electricity generated as well as from improved flood and drought management. The GBM region is endowed with huge water resources on an annual basis as a result of heavy precipitation and the Himalayan snowmelt, but largely for concentrated during the five monsoon months, June to September. This region, therefore, suffers from floods during the monsoon, although some parts face drought even in this season. But, there is widespread scarcity of water in the region during the dry months from January to May, particularly in March and April.
