Long March, rally to protest India's river diversion plan

The Indian scheme to transfer water from the Ganges, Brahm-aputra and Meghna was protested at a mammoth public meeting held after arrival of a long march at Shibganj in Chapainawabganj from Dhaka. Nagorik Committee Co-chairman Hasna Moudud who led the march called upon all irrespective of ideas to unite under a banner for the interest of the nation.

Speakers told that after implementation of the project, 14 crore people of Bangladesh would be affected and the country's north-western region would turn into a desert. They asked the Indian government to cancel the project and reminded them that the Ganges, the Brahmaputra and the Meghna being international rivers, concerned countries have equal rights over water of the rivers.

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Speakers further told that India had already completed reviews on 137 sub-projects of water receiving, 71 reviews on water withdrawal, environmental tests for 37 link-channels and 31 pre-feasibility and six feasibility studies.

Various socio-cultural organisations including Nagorik Committee, International Farakka Committee, Bangladesh Poribesh Sangbadik Forum and Padma-Jamuna-Meghna Bachao Andolon jointly organised the long march towards Kansat in Chapainawabganj.

BNP lawmaker Professor Shahjahan Ali chaired the meeting.

Among others, Rajshahi city mayor Mizanur Rahman Minu MP, Jahangirnagar University vice chancellor Prof Jasim Uddin and Dr Zakir Hossain addressed the meeting.