Construction of Tipaimukh Dam
Bangladesh to go to int'l court if needed
Says water resources minister
Bangladesh will go to the international court, if necessary, to settle the Tipaimukh dam issue for the country's safety, said Water Resources Minister Ramesh Chandra Sen yesterday.
“India has to take Bangladesh's opinion if they want to take any initiative in its upper-stream”, he told reporters after a seminar at Engineers' Institute in the city.
He said, as a friendly neighbour, Bangladesh trusts India. “But if India ignores Bangladesh, we will write against it and go to the court for the sake of our existence,” he added.
Presided over by its Chairman Mesbauddin Ahmed, Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) Retired Engineers' Association organised the seminar titled "River management and flood control activities in Bangladesh with potentials and problems of dredging."
Asked about the next Joint River Commission meeting, the minister said Bangladesh has already knocked India for it and the meeting will be held soon.
Bangladesh does not have enough information about the Tipaimukh dam issue, he said, replying to another question.
He also said Bangladesh will send a high-level delegation to India to discuss the matter. He, however, did not mention about the date of the visit.
He criticised the opposition party's stance on the issue alleging that they (opposition) are trying to fish in troubled waters.
Mentionable, in joint declarations made after summits between the two prime ministers in 2010 and 2011, Manmohan Singh assured Sheikh Hasina that India would not take any step regarding the planned Tipaimukh dam that might harm Bangladesh.
But, India has already signed a contract to form a company to implement Tipaimukh hydroelectric project.
Engineering Institute President Engr Nurul Huda and BWDB Director General Engr Habibur Rahman also spoke at the seminar.
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