Politicians, academics, and river experts urged the government to secure a justified share of water from the common rivers, flowing between Bangladesh and India, at a discussion meeting on Saturday.
The Workers Party of Bangladesh, a partner in the Awami League-led alliance, organised the meeting at the Dhaka Reporters Unity under the title 鈥楽haring of Water of the Common Rivers, Especially the Water of Padma and Teesta Rivers鈥�, where the party president Rashed Khan Menon chaired.
Menon highlighted that the water-sharing treaty for the Teesta River between Bangladesh and India had yet to be signed, and the tenure of the Ganges water treaty was nearing its end.
Menon also recalled how Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani had foreseen the potential issues with the Farakka Barrage, prompting him to lead the Farakka Long March, demanding justified water sharing for Bangladesh from India.
He called on the government to establish a Teesta authority to implement the Teesta water-sharing treaty between Bangladesh and India.
Workers Party general secretary Fazle Hossain Badsha emphasised the need for immediate government action to ensure that Bangladesh received justified share of water from the Teesta and Ganges Rivers.
He announced that the Workers Party would initiate continuous movements to achieve justified water share of the common rivers between Bangladesh and India.
Principal Nazrul Islam Hakkani, a leader of the Teesta Bachao, Nadi Bachao Andolan, stressed the importance of resolving the issue of fair water allocation for Bangladesh urgently.
Environment and river expert Mahbub Siddique and journalist Sheikh Rokan also spoke at the discussion meeting.