Teesta river was once packed to the rafters with fish, enough to sustain the villages on its banks. Ever since the Indian government erected the Gajoldoba barrage on the upstream in 1996, the portion of the Teesta river in Bangladesh has become parched for the best part of the year. During the dry season, the Indian barrage withdraws water, turning the Teesta river in Bangladesh into vast swathes of sand. And during the monsoon, water is released from India, washing away everything in its wake. What was once a solid source of livelihood has become an albatross around the necks of the residents of the Doani village under the Hatibandha upazila of the Lalmonirhat district. They can neither fish nor grow crops, passing their days in destitution.
