Bangladesh should move forward with China on river projects: BNP's Hafiz
Only the construction of the Farakka dam has made 20 rivers in Bangladesh dead, he says
Bangladesh should move forward with the river project with China as India has always ignored the Joint River Commission, BNP Standing Committee Member Major (Retd) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed Bir Bikram said today (30 August).
"India has always shown reluctance in the meetings of the Joint River Commission. Therefore, we [Bangladesh] should move forward with the river project with China," he told a views-exchange meeting at Jatiya Press Club in the capital.
Samajik Chinta Forum organised the event titled "Bangladesh's Water Crisis and Fair Share of Common River Water and What to Do" with the forum's convener Kamal Hossain Badal in the chair.
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Hafiz, a former water resources minister, said the navigability of Bangladesh's rivers has decreased due to the construction of countless dams in India.
Only the construction of the Farakka dam has made 20 rivers in Bangladesh dead, he said adding that India has always ignored the Joint Rivers Commission with Bangladesh.
Stating that political short-sightedness is the main reason for the destruction of Bangladesh's rivers and loss of land on the border, he further said that India has always shown reluctance in the meetings of the Joint Rivers Commission.
Bangladesh should have signed the UN Water Convention in 1997, he said.
Economist Prof Anu Muhammad, politician Saiful Haque, journalist Abu Sayeed Khan, Prof Abdus Sattar and Engineer BD Rahmat Ullah among others also spoke.
Host organisation's member secretary Ranjan Das Shibu moderated the event while BUET Professor Dr. Mostafa Ali presented the keynote paper.
Professor Anu Muhammad said the rivers in Bangladesh have lost their shape due to the construction of various projects on many rivers.
The rivers of Bangladesh are the most affected due to the dams of India, he said.
Many projects undertaken by the Water Development Board of Bangladesh government have been one of the reasons for the destruction of river water bodies, he added.
"Despite being a riverine country, we are being deprived of pure water due to river encroachment and pollution," Anu Muhammad said.
He also said the Sundarbans are at the brink of destruction at the stroke of Sheikh Hasina's pen.
Saiful Haque said a national consensus must be built to achieve and address the water crisis in Bangladesh and a fair share of the water of the common rivers.
