Ensure transparency in dealing with water issue with India

They alleged that the JRC has so far failed to ensure adequate supply of water in trans-boundary rivers in the country and its officials never disclosed the outcome of their meetings with India for unknown reasons.

The first National River Convention was organised by Bangladesh Paribesh Andolon (Bapa) in association with Bangladesh Environment Network (BEN) at the Planning and Development Academy in the city.

Noted water experts, environmentalists and engineers took part in the daylong convention.

The speakers said India has already taken up a river inter-linking project, which is designed to divert water from major international rivers including the Ganges and the Brahmaputra to its drought-prone states threatening the livelihood of more than 100 million people downstream in Bangladesh.

India is going ahead with the implementation of the project violating the international law, but the JRC could not focus on the issue properly and create pressure on India to stop the project, they added.

"The Indian project, envisaged by its National Water Development Agency (NWDA) and to be implemented in 10 years, involves building hundreds of reservoirs and digging more than 600 miles of canals," said Engineer Quamrul Islam Siddique while speaking about the Indian River-linking Project (IRLP).

Engineer Muhammad Hilaluddin said India has taken up another project to construct Tipaimukh Multipurpose Dam on the river Barak in Manipur state to generate 1500 MW of electricity.

"There will be disastrous effects on the entire Sylhet region and the river Meghna if India sets up the dam, but our officials at JRC failed to create any public opinion against the project and effective pressure on India to cancel it," he said.

Barrister Raihan Khalid said JRC should be more public-oriented and its officials must hold public consultation before and after the meeting with their Indian counterparts.

Engineer Taqsem A Khan, Prof Nazrul Islam, Prof Khalekuzzaman, Architect Iqbal Habib, Dr Abdul Matin, Prof Feroj Ahmed, Prof Asif Nazrul, BEN Representative Kamrul Ahsan Khan and Bapa leader Mahidul Haq Khan also took part in the convention.