The government will formulate a long-term plan to ensure sustainable management of the Teesta River, Water Resources Minister Md Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anee said at a seminar at Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) on Monday.
He said the government would prioritize the livelihoods, agriculture, environment and economic interests of people in the Teesta basin while taking measures to prevent river erosion, control floods and improve water management.
The seminar, titled “Sustainable Management of the Teesta River,” was jointly organized by the Ministry of Water Resources and BUET’s Department of Water Resources Engineering.
“The Teesta is connected to the lives and livelihoods of people in 5 northern districts,” Anee said.
He said people living in the Teesta basin had long faced water shortages during the dry season and excessive flows during the monsoon.
The proposed plan will focus on preventing river erosion and floods, expanding irrigation facilities, improving living standards, retaining water during the dry season and strengthening local economies, the minister said.
He said the government would move to implement the project as soon as possible, keeping the interests of people in the Teesta basin in mind.
Speaking about the Ganges Water Sharing Treaty, Anee said the government was working to renew the agreement through bilateral discussions at the appropriate time.
“There will be no compromise on the issue of a fair share of water,” he said.
Disaster Management and Relief Minister Asadul Habib Dulu said he had witnessed the suffering of people living along the Teesta for a long time.
“Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is committed to implementing the Teesta master plan,” he said, expressing hope that an acceptable solution would soon be found to reduce the suffering of people living along the river.
State Minister for Water Resources Forhad Hossain Azad said the government was working to make the management framework of the long-awaited Teesta master plan sustainable.
“A technical committee has already been formed. We are seeking opinions from local and international experts and stakeholders,” he said.
The government was also remaining vigilant about securing Bangladesh’s fair share of Teesta water, Azad said.
Experts present management options
The seminar included technical presentations on the challenges facing the Teesta and possible options for its management.
Professor Masfikus Saleheen of BUET’s Institute of Water and Flood Management presented a paper titled “Teesta Challenges.”
Professor Dr Md Ataur Rahman of BUET’s Department of Water Resources Engineering presented “Sustainable Management Options,” while Dr Md Sarfaraz Banda, additional chief engineer of the Bangladesh Water Development Board in Rangpur, presented “Water Conservation and Irrigation Development.”
The seminar was chaired by Khandaker Azim Uddin, additional secretary of the Ministry of Water Resources.
Professor Dr Ainun Nishat, adviser to the Joint Rivers Commission; former BUET professor Dr Abul Fazal M Saleh; and Bangladesh Water Development Board Director General Md Ruhul Amin, among others, participated in a panel discussion.
Speakers stressed the need for an integrated approach to address seasonal water shortages and excessive flows, river erosion, flooding, irrigation, dry-season water conservation and environmental sustainability in the Teesta basin.