Dhaka won't accept anything that threatens environment

Abdur Razzak, chairman of the standing committee on the Ministry of Water Resources, yesterday said that the government would do everything possible if the Tipaimukh dam proves to be a threat to Bangladesh's environment.
Discussions would be the main process to realise the demands and the government will not accept anything that might have a negative impact on the country's environment, he told the reporters after a roundtable.
Media Forum for Human Rights and Environmental Development (MHED) and WBB Trust jointly organised the roundtable titled 'Source of safe drinking water: task to save rivers, canals and wetland' at the National Press Club.
Abdur Razzak, also a presidium member of ruling Awami League (AL) and former water resources minister, urged all to be positive and work unitedly to this end.
“Nothing can be achieved by showing warlike attitude. We have to be positive and be united for the greater interest of the country,” he said, adding, “We have to solve the problem through discussion.”
He said a parliamentary delegation will soon visit the project site in Indian state of Monipur and representatives of all party will be there in the visiting team.
Asked whether there is any BNP lawmaker in the delegation, he said they have asked BNP to propose a name and they are hopeful BNP will suggest a name soon.
Moudud demands team of experts
BNP leader Barrister Moudud Ahmed yesterday demanded forming a team of experts for visiting the Tipaimukh dam site and said his party would join the team only if it is a team of experts rather than a parliamentary one.
He also suggested the government to go to international forums with the issue if needed.
Moudud said this at a roundtable on 'Indo-Bangladesh Relations: Recent Developments' organised by Centre for Strategic and Peace Studies (CSPS) at Cirdap auditorium in the city.
He also said the team that is formed to visit the Tipaimukh site would only legitimise the dam nothing else.
Former vice chancellor of Dhaka University Prof Emajuddin Ahmed said there should be political division in certain issues but when it is a national issue the country needs to get united.
Manarat University Vice Chancellor and former Red Crescent Society Chairman Prof Mohammad Abdur Rob presented the keynote paper at the roundtable while former secretary and Chairman of CSPS Shah Abdul Hannan moderated the discussion.
Former state minister for foreign affairs Abul Hasan Chowdhury, journalist Sadek Khan and Jamaat-e-Islami Joint Secretary General Md Kamaruzzaman also spoke.
Gono Forum
Gono Forum leaders have urged the government to take effective steps to resolve Tipaimukh dam issue through bilateral discussions by giving national interest the highest priority.
They made the call at a party meeting at its office in the city on Saturday where they also demanded the government ensure immediate trial of war criminals.
Gono Forum President Dr Kamal Hossain, Abdur Rouf, Mofizul Islam Khan Kamal and Subrata Chowdhury spoke at the meeting with Pankaj Bhattacharya in the chair.
Expressing concern over the law and order situation, they demanded amendment is some important laws like the one that reduced the power and activities of local government and the one that proposed provision in the budget to whiten undisclosed money.