BIG tension for China as Bangladesh joins India in opposing Beijing’s major project in…, Yunus govt asks China to…

Bangladesh's Muhammad Yunus-led interim government has sought detailed technical information from China about the potential impact of the proposed 60,000 MW Medog hydropower project on the Yarlung Tsangpo aka the Brahmaputra river in Tibet.

In a major setback for China, Bangladesh has opposed Beijing’s ambitious project to build the world’s largest dam on the Brahmaputra River in Tibet close to the Indian border. According to reports, the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government has sought detailed technical information from Beijing about the potential impact of the proposed 60,000 MW Medog hydropower project on the Yarlung Tsangpo (Brahmaputra) River.

Yunus govt seeks details

Report citing officials of Bangladesh’s Water Resources Ministry said that Dhaka had sent an official letter to Beijing last month, seeking four major documents related to the project, including environmental impact assessment, feasibility study, climate impact assessment and disaster impact assessment.

Beijing is yet to respond to Dhaka’s request, they said.

China to build world’s largest dam

According to reports, the Medog hydropower project, which has raised concerns in riparian states – India and Bangladesh, is slated to be the biggest infrastructure project on the planet, costing a whopping $137 billion.

The gargantuan undertaking will dwarf the Three Gorges Dam — currently the largest dam in the world– both in capacity as well as magnitude, and will be capable of producing nearly 70 million kilowatts of energy annually, which is more than three times the installed capacity of 22.5 million kilowatts of the Three Gorges Dams.

Where is the dam being built?

As per an official statement by the Chinese government, the construction of the hydropower project has been approved in the lower reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo River, the Tibetan name for the Brahmaputra, Xinhua reported. The dam is to be built at a huge gorge in the Himalayan reaches where the Brahmaputra river makes a giant U-turn to flow into Arunachal Pradesh and then to Bangladesh, according to a PTI report.

The proposed project has massive hydropower potential but also presents unique engineering challenges as a section of the Yarlung Zangbo River rises 2,000 metres (6,561 ft) in elevation over a short 50 km (31 miles) stretch.

India, Bangladesh flag concerns

Notably, Bangladesh is dependent on the water of the Brahmaputra river for 55 percent of its irrigation needs, and China’s mega dam project will give it reater control over the Brahmaputra water, affecting water availability to downstream India and Bangladesh, with experts warning that Beijing’s increased upstream control could increase food insecurity, salinity intrusion into coastal areas and increase migration pressure into Bangladesh.

As per a 2022 report by Bangladesh’s Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, a mere 5 percent reduction in the flow of the Brahmaputra waters could reduce agricultural production by 15 percent in several areas of the country.

Additionally, geologists have warned about the seismic impact of the proposed project on the seismically sensitive Tibetan plateau, as an earthquake in the region could prove catastrophic for millions of people living in India and Bangladesh.

India has raised concerns about the dam’s impact on its northeastern states, particularly Assam and Arunachal Pradesh – through which the Brahmaputra flows. The Ministry of External Affairs has conveyed New Delhi’s concerns to Beijing, urging China to ensure that the interests of downstream countries are not harmed.