It's time for India to keep its promise about river issues
Saturday, 2 October 2010
THE recent media reports about adoption of a plan by the government of India to build dams over the Brahmaputra and Barak rivers are disconcerting, particularly in the context of the earlier reported understanding at the head of government level from both sides to avoid anything unilaterally which might be detrimental to the interests of lower-riparian Bangladesh. The latest media reports indicated the formation of a so-called Brahmaputra Board for the purpose of building dams over the Brahmaputra and Barak rivers by upper-riparian India.
The piece of news is worrisome. The reason for this is that this country cannot simply allow its north-eastern, central and south-eastern parts to meet the fate of the south-western part that happened from the Farakka barrage on the Ganges built and operated by India from the mid-seventies. The great damage caused by the Farakka barrage to the south-west of Bangladesh economically, environmentally and in terms of the health of the people living in that region is largely known. If the same experience is now repeated in the rest of Bangladesh in the event of the implementation of the reported schemes of the Brahmaputra Board, particularly that of the Tipaimukh project, that will in no way help foster goodwill and better understanding that both sides vitally need for strengthening their bilateral relations in a win-win situation.
Under the circumstances, the authorities concerned in Bangladesh need to follow the related developments in India closely so that remedial actions in whatever ways may be taken urgently in the light of the earlier assurance of the Indian leaders to Bangladesh. India, on its part, must make a fundamental change in its behaviour. Its policy has so far been only assuring Bangladesh about the river issues but practically doing nothing about them and unilaterally going ahead with water diversion projects.
Asheque Ali
Assad Gate
Mohmmadpur, Dhaka.
The piece of news is worrisome. The reason for this is that this country cannot simply allow its north-eastern, central and south-eastern parts to meet the fate of the south-western part that happened from the Farakka barrage on the Ganges built and operated by India from the mid-seventies. The great damage caused by the Farakka barrage to the south-west of Bangladesh economically, environmentally and in terms of the health of the people living in that region is largely known. If the same experience is now repeated in the rest of Bangladesh in the event of the implementation of the reported schemes of the Brahmaputra Board, particularly that of the Tipaimukh project, that will in no way help foster goodwill and better understanding that both sides vitally need for strengthening their bilateral relations in a win-win situation.
Under the circumstances, the authorities concerned in Bangladesh need to follow the related developments in India closely so that remedial actions in whatever ways may be taken urgently in the light of the earlier assurance of the Indian leaders to Bangladesh. India, on its part, must make a fundamental change in its behaviour. Its policy has so far been only assuring Bangladesh about the river issues but practically doing nothing about them and unilaterally going ahead with water diversion projects.
Asheque Ali
Assad Gate
Mohmmadpur, Dhaka.