BNP on Tuesday started its two-day long march towards Teesta Barrage from Azampur in the city’s Uttara area on Tuesday, demanding due share of the river water. Though the long march was scheduled to begin from Airport intersection, it finally began from in front of Amir Complex, Uttara around 9 am led by its acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir. Before launching the long march, senior BNP leaders, including Fakhrul, addressed a rally there. Fakhrul said their long-march programme is not against India or Bangladesh government rather it is meant for realising the country’s due share of water of the common river, Teesta. He urged the government to take immediate steps to make India agree to sign a deal on Teesta water sharing, and called upon the country’s people to get united and raise their voice for forcing India to give Bangladesh its due share of Teesta water and sign the deal in this regard. As per their schedule, the long march will reach Rangpur in the evening. On their way to Rangpur, the first wayside rally will be held in Kaliakair while the second on Tangail bypass road, the third at Sirajganj’s Kaddar intersection, the fourth at Bogra’s Matidhali crossing, the fifth at Gaibanda’s Gobindaganj and the sixth and final one in Gaibandha’s Polashbari around 4:30pm. After the overnight stay in Rangpur, the party will hold a public rally in the town at 9am on Wednesday and then restart their long march towards Teesta Barrage in Nilphamari. The long march will end after holding another public rally at Dalia. BNP standing committee member Nazrul Islam Khan, vice chairman Abdullah Al Noman, International Affairs secretary Asaduzaman Ripon, Education Affairs Secretary Khairul Kabir Khokon and Students Affairs secretary Shaheed Uddin Chowdhury Anne, among others, joined the long march. – UNB
