Staff Reporter :Bangladesh Paribesh Andolon (BAPA), Bangladesh Paribesh (Environment) Network (BEN) and People’s SAARC Water Forum Bangladesh have strongly opposed the latest Indian move to interlink river project at the upper reaches of four trans-boundary rivers. The environmental bodies have said that India must stop unilateral river-linking project in the interest of maintaining friendly relations with Bangladesh. “If the project is implemented, friendly relations between Bangladesh and India won’t continue, as the project will destroy environment, ecology, economics, biodiversity and agriculture of Bangladesh,” noted columnist and Vice President of BAPA Syed Abul Maksud said at a press conference. He said, “We have heard that the Foreign Ministry has sent letter to Indian authorities seeking an explanation about the fresh project. The responsibility of the government did not end in the letter. It has to be vigorous to stop this project as well as other projects.” BAPA and the two others environmental bodies jointly arranged the press conference at the Dhaka Reporters’ Unity in the city on Saturday. BAPA’s General Secretary Dr Abdul Matin and water expert M. Enamul Haque also spoke, among others. Dr Abdul Matin said that India couldn’t implement any project on trans-boundary rivers without consultation with Bangladesh. But, that country has unilaterally announced the project. “The Bangladesh government must take effective initiative in this regard so that the neighbouring country can’t implement such destructive project,” he said. Indian Water Resources Minister Sanwar Lal Jat recently announced that they would soon take up the task of connecting the rivers — Teesta, Ganga, Manas and Sankosh — covering their three states — Assam, West Bengal and Bihar. The environmentalists and water experts expressed concern over India’s fresh move. They said that vast part of Bangladesh would turn into desert if the project is implemented, as it will diminish water flow of several major rivers, including the Padma, the Jamuna and the Teesta. Other speakers at the conference said that India’s controversial project would be dearly a violation of the ‘International River Law’ and given pledges, as the neighbouring country repeatedly assured Bangladesh of not taking any project on trans-boundary rivers that would affect Bangladesh’s interest. The project will also be a violation of the Ganges Agreement signed between Bangladesh and India in 1996, they said, adding India is implementing such other river-linking projects, ignoring Bangladesh. But, the Bangladesh government can’t play vital role in this regard. They urged the government to be active against the projects. Dr Abdul Matin said that Indian sudden announcement of the unilateral decision would further affect India’s credibility as a good neighbour, as the issue of sharing the Teesta waters remained unresolved for decades. He also said that India is illegally diverting water flow of other trans-boundary rivers. Bangladesh is already facing adverse impact for Farrakka Barrage and several other dams and barrages, which were constructed defying Bangladesh and violating international law, he added. The BAPA leader observed that not only Bangladesh, the fresh project, if implemented, would also hit hard the ecology and biodiversity of Indian nine states, including West Bengal, Assam Bihar, Meghalaya and Aurunachal. The people of these states will be deprived of their rights of water, he said.
