Bangladesh to officially protest Tipaimukh dam construction
Sunday, 17 May 2009
Bangladesh would raise protest officially against construction of the Tipaimukh dam soon after the new government in India assumed office as the project might cause a catastrophic ecological impact on the country's north-eastern region, reports UNB.
Two senior cabinet ministers, who hail from the region (Sylhet), spoke about their plan to resist the construction of the dam at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Jalalabad Association at Bangladesh Shishu Academy Auditorium Saturday.
"The dam will turn the greater Sylhet region into a desert," Finance Minister AMA Muhith told the meeting. He said the Tipaimukh dam would dry up the rivers Surma, Kushiara and Meghna as well as the haors.
"It's the responsibility of every citizen to resist the dam," he said, adding a plus point is that the Indian people in the surrounding areas of the project like Karimganj and Monipur are also against the project.
Muhith said the problem of the project is that India will withdraw waters from international river Barak for irrigation purpose, which will desert the land in Bangladesh's northeastern region. "We cannot allow this disaster to take place."
He said there would have no problem with the project if it was restricted only for power generation and flood control.
Talking to reporters after the meeting, the Finance Minister said the Indian side has invited Bangladesh to visit the project area and Bangladesh would send a delegation after the new Indian government assumed the office to see their plan and understand the possible impact.
"We'll solve the problem through bilateral discussion," he said.
Addressing the function, Social Welfare Minister Enamul Huq Mostafa Shaheed said the government will protest the Indian move officially. "We'll have to resist the construction of the dam at any cost," he said.
Two senior cabinet ministers, who hail from the region (Sylhet), spoke about their plan to resist the construction of the dam at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Jalalabad Association at Bangladesh Shishu Academy Auditorium Saturday.
"The dam will turn the greater Sylhet region into a desert," Finance Minister AMA Muhith told the meeting. He said the Tipaimukh dam would dry up the rivers Surma, Kushiara and Meghna as well as the haors.
"It's the responsibility of every citizen to resist the dam," he said, adding a plus point is that the Indian people in the surrounding areas of the project like Karimganj and Monipur are also against the project.
Muhith said the problem of the project is that India will withdraw waters from international river Barak for irrigation purpose, which will desert the land in Bangladesh's northeastern region. "We cannot allow this disaster to take place."
He said there would have no problem with the project if it was restricted only for power generation and flood control.
Talking to reporters after the meeting, the Finance Minister said the Indian side has invited Bangladesh to visit the project area and Bangladesh would send a delegation after the new Indian government assumed the office to see their plan and understand the possible impact.
"We'll solve the problem through bilateral discussion," he said.
Addressing the function, Social Welfare Minister Enamul Huq Mostafa Shaheed said the government will protest the Indian move officially. "We'll have to resist the construction of the dam at any cost," he said.