BNP to always oppose dams on trans-border rivers

The Awami League-led government is satisfied with India's assurance with regard to the Tipaimukh dam but BNP would always oppose such projects on trans-border rivers, BNP leader Maj (retd) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed said yesterday.
"India has always tried to assure us saying they won't do anything harmful to Bangladesh. But they never kept their promises. We need to take our own course to prevent implementation of the Tipaimukh project," he said at a conference at the Jatiya Press Club.
International Farakka Committee organised the conference titled 'Trans-boundary Rivers with Special Reference to the Tipaimukh dam.
Hafiz, also former water resources minister, said during the tenure of the previous BNP-led coalition government, his then Indian counterpart at the meetings of Joint River Commission in 2003 and 2005 assured Bangladesh that India would not build any barrage.
But now they have made moves to construct a barrage at Fulertal and Tipaimukh dam breaching the promises they had made earlier, he alleged.
Earlier, Indian Premier Manmohan Singh at a meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on the sidelines of the Nam summit in Egypt gave assurance that New Delhi would not take any step regarding the Tipaimukh dam that might affect bilateral relations between the two countries.
Politicians and Bangladeshi water experts at the conference said the problem regarding Tipaimukh dam should be settled through bilateral talks. If it does not work out, Bangladesh should approach international forums to reach a satisfactory settlement.
Prof Muniruzzaman Mia, former vice chancellor of Dhaka University, said the government should ask India to provide it with detailed information about the Tipaimukh dam.
It should also send a delegation comprised of experts and representatives from all parties to the dam site; then assess the collected data and decide the country's stance.
There is no alternative to national unity on this issue, he added.
Prof Asif Nazrul of law department of DU said if India builds the dam without Bangladesh's consent, it would violate the Ganges Water Sharing Treaty which speaks for consent of both the sides for constructing dams or barrages on any river.
He said the government should prepare a document on the Tipaimukh dam illustrating its possible impacts on Bangladesh and prevent India from implementing the project through bilateral talks.
If bilateral talks fail to resolve the issue, Bangladesh can approach various environment forums and the United Nations, he said.
Rashed Khan Menon, lawmaker of Bangladesh Workers' Party, Dr SI Khan, former adviser on disaster management, United Nations, and Dr ANH Akhtar Hossain, former secretary of Power Division, among others, spoke.