Khaleda calls for stopping building of Tipaimukh dam

DHAMRAI, Nov 22 (UNB): Opposition Leader Khaleda Zia on Tuesday called for an immediate end to construction of the Tipaimukh dam in Manipur state of India, and for discussions between the Indian and Bangladeshi governments over the positives and negatives of the controversial project. The BNP chairperson also asked the government to dissolve parliament and make arrangements to hold elections under a caretaker government. Khaleda made the demands while addressing a mammoth public rally by students at the Dhamrai Hardinge High School ground in the afternoon, organized by the Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD), associate student wing of BNP, to mark the 47th birthday of Tarique Rahman, senior vice chairman of BNP and elder son of Khaleda Zia. JCD organized the rally as part of its 3-day programme to observe Tarique's birthday, which concluded with the gathering. "Still there is time, stop work on the Tipaimukh dam. The governments of the two countries should discuss the good and bad sides of the dam before moving further," Khaleda told the huge vibrant gathering amid enthusiastic applause and slogans. She strongly protested against the Indian government's final move to construct the dam without discussing with Bangladesh, noting Bangladesh will be adversely affected once the dam becomes operational. Khaleda said the Prime Ministers of Bangladesh and India have recently held meetings on the sidelines of the just concluded 17th SAARC Summit in Maldives. A few days after their meeting, news of the Tipaimukh dam being constructed without discussion broke, she pointed out. The BNP chief said the government has not protested the construction of the dam, and termed it an 'unpatriotic' and 'not of the people'. She also criticized the government for not raising its voice against the frequent killings of innocent Bangladeshi nationals in the border areas by Indian Border Security Force. Khaleda also came down heavily on the government for not protesting the construction of dams by India on many other common rivers, resulting in dried up Bangladesh rivers. She said her party will extend its cooperation to the government if it registers protest over India's unilateral move, in a quest to realize Bangladesh's rightful share over the decision to build the dam. The opposition leader described grim scenarios in every sector of the country, and mentioned the recent remark of Speaker of parliament that the country can't keep running the way it is at present. Khaleda said the government should dissolve parliament to arrange elections under a non-party caretaker government. She reiterated her claim that no elections without a caretaker government will be allowed to be held in the country. The BNP chairperson said the government has failed 'in all sectors' and that the entire country and people have awakened to oust the government 'at any cost'. She mentioned how even the Awami League's partner in the grand alliance government, Hasanul Huq Inu of JSD, had termed the government as 'traitor' (beimaan). Khaleda urged the students and young community to take to the streets to protect the country, imbued with the spirit of various recent movements against autocracy in different countries of the world led by the young community.