Execution of Teesta Project with own fund demanded

LALMONIRHAT, May 15: Speakers at a rally demanded that the government take immediate steps and execute the mega project (Teesta mega project) to save the life of the Teesta river basin people. They urged the government to allocate fund for this project in the next budget.
Thousands of people from 33 unions of 13 upazilas under five districts joined the rally at Teesta Degree College ground in the district on Saturday morning. The five districts are Rangpur, Kurigram, Lalmonirhat, Gaibandha and Nilphamari.
The rally was held under the banner of the Teesta Banchao, Nodi Banchao Sangram Parishad central committee.
Speakers said every year thousands of river basin people lose their arable lands and homesteads by the erosion of the Teesta and become jobless.
They said many mega projects are being implemented by the government in many parts of the country but there is no big project in Rangpur region. Only Tk 85 billion (8500 crore) is required to execute the Teesta mega project.
Shofiqul Islam Kanu, president of the Teesta Banchao Nodi Banchao Sangram Parishad, Lalmonirhat unit, said, "If the government can build Padma bridge with own fund why not the Teesta project. We don't understand China, America, India, we want to make it from our own fund."
He said, "We urged the government to implement the mega project to enliven the river, people, and the biodiversity of the region."
Speakers also demanded implementation of six points to save the Teesta River and river basin people.
Among others, Nazrul Islam Hakkani, president of Teesta Banchao Nodi Banchao Sangram Parishad, Shafiar Rahman, general secretary and Dr. Tuhin Wadud, a teacher of Begum Rokeya University, spoke at the rally.

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