The water flow of Padma and Jamua rivers in Bangladesh will fall by one third if India implements it’s inter river-linking project. Besides, it will have an adverse impact on rivers, biodiversity and environment as well.
Environment, geology and water experts made this comment at a press conference at Dhaka Reporters’ Unity on Saturday.
They demanded cancellation of the Indian river-linking project, which would certainly reduce huge waters and bring environmental disasters in Bangladesh and nine states of India.
Bangladesh Poribesh Bachao Andolon (BAPA) and Bangladesh Environment Network (BEN) organized the press conference on Implementation of first connection (Ken-Betwa) of river-linking project and its impact on Bangladesh.
In his keynote paper, Prof Dr Mohammad Khalequzzaman, geologist and a teacher of Lock Haven University, USA, said under the river-linking project, India is planning to divert water through 30 linking points from major rivers, including the Ganges and Brahmaputra.
He said the river-linking project would have a longtime affects on its ecology, environment in the deltaic region formed by two major rivers of the world, the Ganges and Brahmaputra.
“India has begun implementation of the project not taking the possible impact of the project on Bangladesh into consideration. Bangladesh government also keeps mum over the issue,” he said. The river-linking project includes 14 Himalayan rivers and 16 deltaic rivers.
BAPA general secretary Dr MA Motin called upon the Indian government to stop the project and Bangladesh government to take strong position in this regard.
Dr Shahidul Islam, a teacher of geology department under Dhaka University, termed the river linking project harmful both economically and environmentally.
“India is going to implement the project in violation of international law and without any scientific survey. Bangladesh should register protest against the implementation o the project,” he said.
BAPA leaders—Zakir Hossain and Mihir Biswas, among others, were present on the occasion.
The Indian plans to divert vast quantities of water from major rivers, including the Ganges and Brahmaputra, threaten the livelihoods of more than 100 million people downstream in Bangladesh.
