Dhaka, May 1 -- When India recently announced the suspension of the historic Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan, the world's attention was immediately drawn to the alarming escalation between two nuclear-armed neighbours. Yet beyond the predictable India-Pakistan tensions, this move has wider, far more dangerous implications for the entire South Asian region.

For Bangladesh - a country heavily dependent on transboundary rivers originating in India - the decision rings a loud and urgent alarm. If India can weaponize water against Pakistan today, there is no guarantee it will not use similar tactics against Bangladesh tomorrow.

The Indus Waters Treaty, signed in 1960 under the auspices of the World Bank, has long been hailed as a model for...