China can help Dhaka dredge the riverbed, but it cannot fill the Teesta river if upstream flows into Bangladesh remain low. That depends largely on upstream water availability, releases, and cooperation from India. According to the Bangladesh Water Development Board, the Teesta’s natural dry season flow should be about 5,000 cubic feet per second (cusecs). This is why the Teesta project and a water-sharing agreement with India should not be treated as alternatives. An agreement with India would help determine how much water Bangladesh receives and when it receives it.