Take common stance against India's river inter-linking plan

IFC held a big rally at Govindasi shoal on the Jamuna in Bhuapur yesterday marking the 30th anniversary of Farakka Long March. PHOTO: STAR

If implemented, the project will create a havoc in Bangladesh by destroying the ecology and hastening the desertification process, which started after unilateral withdrawal of Ganges waters by India at Farakka.

The rally held at Govindasi was part of a programme organised by the Bangladesh chapter of International Farakka Committee (IFC) marking the 30th anniversary of the Farakka Long March in 1976, led by veteran political leader Maulana Abdul hamid Khan Bhasani. The programme included a token 'long march' and a discussion meeting.

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It was presided over by environment scientist Prof Jasim Uddin Ahmad, president of Bangladesh chapter of IFC and former vice-chancellor of Jahangirnagar University.

The Speakers included State Minister for NGO Affairs Lutfar Rahman Khan, Vice-Chancellor (VC) of Maulana Bhasani University of Science and Technology Dr Mohammad Khalilur Rahman, former UN water resources specialist and also senior vice- president of IFC Dr SI Khan, IFC secretary Syed Irfanul Bari, president of Tangail IFC Bulbul Khaqn Mahbub and Bhuapur pourasabha chairman Abdul Khalek Mondol.

They said India's withdrawal of water at Farakka and river inter-linking project are national issues. All political parties should unite on the issues, they said.

India is either withdrawing or obstructing flow of almost all the rivers by constructing dams or spars at the upstream, creating water crisis in dry season and floods in the monsoon, affecting the ecology and environment, they said.

Now they have planned a river inter-linking project, which will create a havoc in Bangladesh.

They said India is defying the Helsinki Convention and urged donors like World Bank and Asian Development Bank not to fund any project on common rivers that will obstruct the flow.

Thousands of local people and delegates from different districts joined the rally with slogans like Bacho Nadi (save rivers), Bacho Bangladesh (save Bangladesh).

The rally adopted a 21-point declaration.

Earlier, a token 'long march' was organised from Ibrahim Khan College in Bhuapur to Govindeshi shoal.