Regional cooperation a must to resolve dispute
After the Ganges Water Treaty in 1996 during the Awami League rule, scopes were created to strike similar deals with India for sharing of water, but the present government failed to do so, they said.
They also called for regional cooperation to resolve long-standing dispute over sharing of water of international rivers.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. The Awami League (AL) organised the seminar titled 'Water management in Bangladesh: Successes, failure and future directions' attended by water experts, economists and political leaders.
AL presidium member and former water resources minister Abdur Razzak said the previous AL government had taken all-out measures for water management and irrigation, leading to bumper production of rice and other crops.
It's a matter of regret that the present government has even failed to review the Ganges Water Treaty, he said, adding that the alliance government has also halted the process of a number of water sharing treaties with India.
"We would have been able to sign the Teesta river water sharing treaty if we had got another three months' time as the treaty was in the final stage," the former water resources minister said.
Besides, he said, the ruling alliance loyalists have grabbed all the low-lying lands around Dhaka city, causing environmental disasters, including waterlogging.
AL leader Tofail Ahmed said the ruling party men have been making brisk money in the name of projects to check river erosion in different districts.
Workers Party President Rashed Khan Menon stressed the need for cooperation among Bangladesh, India and Nepal to resolve long-standing dispute over water sharing.
AL leader Dr Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir called for building dams and water reservoirs to facilitate irrigation in the dry season.
Presenting the keynote paper, Dr Kholiquzzman Ahmad said Bangladesh should be involved in the 'Saptakoshi River Dam Project', jointly taken up by India and Nepal, to ensure proper sharing of water of the common international rivers.
"We have legal right to get share of the water as the Saptakoshi is part of the inter-country Ganges River system," he said. "Some 3500-4000 MW power will be generated and water flow of Ganges River during dry season could increase, once the project is implemented. So, involvement of Bangladesh in the scheme is a must."
Bangladesh will face adverse consequences if it is not involved in any such inter-country project in the future, he added.
Senior journalist ABM Musa said the sharing of water with the neighbour is a political issue and the politicians should address it in meetings with their counterparts.
Dr Habibur Rahman of Bangla-desh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) and Gono Forum leader Advocate Zahidul Islam also spoke.