Opposition BNP leader and former water resources minister M Hafizuddin Ahmed on Monday asked the government to boldly raise the river water issue with Indian prime minister next month to realise Bangladesh's due share.
Speaking at a news conference at the central office of the party at Naya Paltan he said that the Awami League led government was maintaining secrecy in signing various deals with India including for sharing of the Teesta waters.
He said that there could be no justification to play hide and seek over the water issue as it affects the life and livelihood of millions of farmers of Bangladesh.
He said that following a submissive approach with neighbouring India, the Awami League led government would not be able to ensure Bangladesh's due share in the waters of seven common rivers, Teesta, Dharla, Matamuhuri, Dudhkumar, Feni and Kushiyara.
He urged the Awami League led government to pull up the courage to demand Bangladesh's due share in the waters of Teesta at the talks with India.
He said that he would be happy if the Awami League led government negotiates the water issue with India better than BNP government did.
Hafiz said that when in office, BNP government had, at the joint rivers commission talks, asked for keeping 20 per cent of Teesta waters reserved and for splitting the remaining 80 per cent into equal shares for the two riparian countries.
'We would expect that the AL led government would ask for a greater share of the Teesta waters to protect the interests of lower riparian Bangladesh,' he said.
Hafiz said dams or barrage built by India on common rivers dried up the rivers in Bangladesh.
He said that none of the deals Awami League government signed, in its two terms of office since 1996, with India served the interests of the people of Bangladesh.
He said that the people of Bangladesh wondered whether the country at all has a minister for water resources.
He said that the people were puzzled by indifference of the government to the water crisis suffered by lower riparian Bangladesh.
He called it quite intriguing that the Awami League led government was maintaining silence though Indian water experts said last month that they had finalised the plan for the construction Tipaimukh Dam on the river Barak though it would dry up Surma- Kushiyara-Meghna in Bangladesh.
Hafiz said that in 1972 too the then Awami League government did not object when India had informed it about its plan to build the Tipaimukh Dam.
He said, 'Ziaur Rahman had first objected to India about its Tipaimukh Dam.
Since then, he said, BNP opposed the dam at Tipaimukh as it would dry up lower riparian Bangladesh.
BNP chairperson's adviser Shamsuzzaman Dudu, joint secretary genera Rizvi Ahmed were present.
Source : New Age
