Political leaders on Friday called on the interim government to raise the long-standing Farakka Barrage dispute at international forums, including the United Nations and the International Court of Justice, to secure Bangladesh鈥檚 fair share of the Ganges water.
At a public rally marking the 49th anniversary of Farakka Long March, organised by the International Farakka Committee at the Central Shaheed Minar in the capital Dhaka, they expressed concerns over the Farakka Barrage, describing it as a threat to Bangladesh鈥檚 environment, agriculture and sovereignty.
They said that that the barrage caused widespread desertification in the north, severe river siltation and increasing salinity threatening the Sundarbans and costal areas, earning it the label 鈥楧eath Trap鈥� for Bangladesh.
The political leaders highlighted India鈥檚 unilateral control of the Ganges and its broader regional hegemony as central issues.
They also emphasised the urgent need for strong national leadership and unified public mobilisation to protect Bangladesh鈥檚 rights.
The Farakka Barrage was originally commissioned as a 41-day experimental project in 1975, agreed upon by Bangladesh and India to assess its future operation.
Facing this injustice and the looming environmental threat, visionary leader Maulana Bhasani led a historic march from Rajshahi to Farakka on May 16, 1976, mobilising public protest against the then Indian government and drawing global attention to Bangladesh鈥檚 demand for a fair share of water.
Bangladesh Nationalist Party standing committee member Abdul Moyeen Khan said that protests against the Farakka Barrage began early, with Maulana Bhasani being a prominent figure in the protests.
In 1976, the then president Ziaur Rahman raised the issue at the UN General Assembly, submitting a protest resolution that was adopted by consensus despite India鈥檚 resistance, he said.
However, nearly 18 crore Bangladeshis have yet to see any meaningful results from this decision, he mentioned.
Moyeen called for the technical decommissioning of the Farakka Barrage 鈥� a gradual and managed process to restore natural river flow 鈥� arguing it was the only practical way to protect Bangladesh鈥檚 environment, agriculture and water rights while fulfilling international obligations.
He also said that under international law, upstream countries like India must ensure that their water withdrawals do not harm downstream neighbours.
Jatiya Party (Kazi Zafar) chairman Mostafa Jamal Haider condemned India鈥檚 unilateral diversion of water, comparing it to an act of war, and criticised past Bangladeshi governments for allowing such actions.
He urged the interim government to take a firm stand and called for national unity, public awareness and a foreign policy based on dignity and equality in dealing with India.
The politician also urged the interim government to raise the matter at global platforms like the UN and the International Court of Justice, and to revive SAARC as a regional forum for water governance cooperation.
Socialist Party of Bangladesh adviser Khalequzzaman warned that the destruction of Bangladesh鈥檚 rivers and wetlands poses an existential threat to the country.
He criticised India鈥檚 unilateral diversion of transboundary rivers, likening it to an act of war, and noted that such actions disregard international norms.
He called for strong public mobilisation at home and abroad to protect the country鈥檚 lifelines and ensure water justice.
Ganosamhati Andolan chief coordinator Zonayed Saki called on the interim government to urgently take the country鈥檚 water rights case to the UN and seek a new treaty under the UN supervision with an arbitration provision.
He criticised India鈥檚 unilateral actions and warned that friendship cannot come at the cost of Bangladesh鈥檚 dignity and rights.
鈥榃hat Sheikh Hasina accepted as friendship was servitude,鈥� he said, adding that the people and new generation of Bangladesh rejected such subordination.
International Farakka Committee chief adviser Jasim Uddin Ahmed also urged the interim government to raise the issue of transboundary river water sharing at the United Nations.
He called for the matter to be submitted to the International Court of Justice in the national interest.
Jatiya Gonofront coordinator Tipu Biswas called for the urgent demolition of the Farakka Barrage, declaring it essential to restoring natural water flow and protecting Bangladesh from desertification and artificial flooding.
Tipu accused India鈥檚 ruling elite of hegemonic behaviour and warned against fascist tendencies within Bangladesh.
He urged strategic mobilisation, including war-like planning if necessary, to resist external dominance and internal betrayal. 鈥楾he fight for water is part of our fight for true independence,鈥� he concluded.
BNP chairperson鈥檚 adviser Abdus Salam, Revolutionary Workers Party of Bangladesh general secretary Saiful Haque and International Farakka Committee Bangladesh president Mostafa Kamal Majumder, among others, spoke at the event.
