Dhaka, Nov 29 (bdnews24.com)
British MP George Galloway and a large delegation from Britain marched Sunday from Sylhet city to the Bangladesh border with India where the river Barak divides into the Shurma and Kushiara.
The British delegation along with a huge Bangladeshi crowd began the long-march towards the site of India's proposed Tipaimukh Dam in the morning. Border guards stopped them from crossing the border.
The march is arranged to draw global attention to the devastating potential impact of the proposed dam on Sylhet and the entire north-eastern region of Bangladesh.
"The potential impact on both depriving Sylhet of Vital Water and threatening serious Flooding make this a 'weapon of mass destruction' aimed at the heart of Sylhet and the people of Bangladesh," Galloway said.
Along with George Galloway MP, the delegates include MP candidate from Respect for the upcoming UK election, councillors Abjol Miah and M Mamunur Rashid, and 17 other British representatives.
Galloway has already met with the former prime minister and BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia, former president and Jatiya Party chairman H M Ershad, Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Motiur Rahman Nijami and Sylhet mayor Badruddin Ahmed Kamran.
They will meet with the president Zillur Rahman and prime minister Sheikh Hasina this week.
The delegation will return to Dhaka on Dec 2, 2009 and will hold a press conference at Reporters Unity before their departure from Bangladesh.
Mir Ezaz Ali, secretary of Respect and campaign manager for Galloway MP, has been coordinating the event.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Monday, November 16, 2009
A DEATH-KNELL FOR BANGLADESH
Kashmir Watch, Nov 14
By ALI SUKHANVER
Sylhet, the beautiful paradise of Bangladesh, is going to turn into a vast barren wasteland very soon. Located on the banks of the winding pair of rivers Surma River and Jaintia and surrounded by Khasi and Tripura hills, this city is situated in the north-eastern region of Bangladesh. The Sylhet region is well known for its tea gardens and tropical forests. The valley has good number of big natural depressions, called ‘haors’. During winter these haors are vast stretches of green land, but in the rainy season they turn into turbulent seas. These haors provide a sanctuary to the millions of migratory birds who fly from Siberia across the Himalayas to avoid the severe cold there. India has started the construction of the Tapaimukh on the Barrak River in Manipur State just 100 km off the Bangladesh border. It is likely to affect two major rivers of Bangladesh; Surma and Kushiarra which are life line for the Sylhet region. The Dam will be 390 meters long and 162.8 meters high. It will be at an altitude of about 180 meter above mean sea level with a maximum reservoir level of 178 meters. The construction of this dam has stirred a lot of fear in Bangladesh because the whole economic prosperity of Bangladesh depends upon the river system.
Since 1975 the sharing of river waters has been a bone of contention between India and Bangladesh. The construction of Farraka and Teesta barrage from India has already added salt to injury on the part of Bangladesh. The government of Bangladesh has protested the construction of these two dams by calling it a violation of bilateral water sharing agreements between the two countries but the Indian government paid no heed to this hue and cry and started construction of the Tapaimukh dam. In the beginning the project was kept secret.
The people of Bangladesh came to know of this dam when in April 2009 the Indian Foreign Secretary visited Bangladesh and requested the government to send a delegation to visit the Dam site. Since then various political parties, environment groups, and people from Dhaka and Sylhet and other cities are in a state of protest against this construction.
The Dam was originally designed to contain flood waters in the lower Barrak valley, but hydro power generation was later incorporated. The project will have an installation capacity of 1500 MW and a firm generation of 412 MW. The Dam will permanently submerge an area of 275.50 square kilometers. Reportedly a pick up barrage is also being planned, 95 Km down stream of Dam site. Bangladeshi experts are of the opinion that the construction of Dam will disrupt the seasonal flow of river and will have an adverse effect on downstream agriculture and fisheries. Some experts fear the desertification of Sylhet region due to decrease of water flow in Meghna basin comprising River Surma, Kushiarra and Meghna. Majority of Bangladeshis are in anticipated fear of the probable damage that may be created after construction of Dam.
Not only in Bangladesh but also in India the construction of this dam is facing a very strong opposition. More than twenty influential social and political organizations in Manipur state have united under the banner of "Action Committee against Tapaimukh Project". These organizations have termed it as, "Water Bomb" due to its adverse effects on environment in Barrak Valley. It means that this dam is going to cause a lot of damage not only to the economy of Bangladesh but also to the people of the Manipur State. The politicians from Manipur are of the opinion that as a result of the construction of this dam about 286.20 Sq Km area will be submerged for ever. More than 40 thousands people will be rendered homeless. Eight villages situated in Barrak valley will be completely under water. More than 90 villages will be adversely affected. About 27,242 hectors of cultivable land will be lost.
The construction of the Tapaimukh Dam is being opposed by the People of Southern Assam also. Various social organizations in Southern Assam are opposing the construction of Dam due to devastating environmental impact on down stream Barrak basin. The Silchar based Society of Activist and Volunteer for Environments (SAVE) is leading the resistance movement against the construction of this dam in the Southern Assam.
People, civil society, NGOs and environmentalists of Bangladesh, Manipur and the Southern Assam have joined hand together against the construction of this dam. They are strongly criticizing the proposed constructions through seminars, rallies and demonstrations. The experts fear that construction of the Dam will affect the livelihood of about 50 million people spanning sixteen districts in Sylhet region and many more in Manipur and the Southern Assam.
Faced with public protests, the government of India has adopted a "wait and see" policy with several ministers citing Indian claims that dam would not be harmful to anyone. To pacify the people of Bangladesh a parliamentary delegation was invited to India in August 2009, to visit the dam site but the tour to the dam site was ironically cancelled due to bad weather.
The construction of the Tapaimukh Dam is nothing but an effort to convert Bangladesh into a desert by destroying its agricultural economy. We can say that the power luxury for India is a death question for Bangladesh.
Author is Pakistan based bilingual analyst on national and international strategic and defense affairs. Email: alisukhanver@hotmail.com
By ALI SUKHANVER
Sylhet, the beautiful paradise of Bangladesh, is going to turn into a vast barren wasteland very soon. Located on the banks of the winding pair of rivers Surma River and Jaintia and surrounded by Khasi and Tripura hills, this city is situated in the north-eastern region of Bangladesh. The Sylhet region is well known for its tea gardens and tropical forests. The valley has good number of big natural depressions, called ‘haors’. During winter these haors are vast stretches of green land, but in the rainy season they turn into turbulent seas. These haors provide a sanctuary to the millions of migratory birds who fly from Siberia across the Himalayas to avoid the severe cold there. India has started the construction of the Tapaimukh on the Barrak River in Manipur State just 100 km off the Bangladesh border. It is likely to affect two major rivers of Bangladesh; Surma and Kushiarra which are life line for the Sylhet region. The Dam will be 390 meters long and 162.8 meters high. It will be at an altitude of about 180 meter above mean sea level with a maximum reservoir level of 178 meters. The construction of this dam has stirred a lot of fear in Bangladesh because the whole economic prosperity of Bangladesh depends upon the river system.
Since 1975 the sharing of river waters has been a bone of contention between India and Bangladesh. The construction of Farraka and Teesta barrage from India has already added salt to injury on the part of Bangladesh. The government of Bangladesh has protested the construction of these two dams by calling it a violation of bilateral water sharing agreements between the two countries but the Indian government paid no heed to this hue and cry and started construction of the Tapaimukh dam. In the beginning the project was kept secret.
The people of Bangladesh came to know of this dam when in April 2009 the Indian Foreign Secretary visited Bangladesh and requested the government to send a delegation to visit the Dam site. Since then various political parties, environment groups, and people from Dhaka and Sylhet and other cities are in a state of protest against this construction.
The Dam was originally designed to contain flood waters in the lower Barrak valley, but hydro power generation was later incorporated. The project will have an installation capacity of 1500 MW and a firm generation of 412 MW. The Dam will permanently submerge an area of 275.50 square kilometers. Reportedly a pick up barrage is also being planned, 95 Km down stream of Dam site. Bangladeshi experts are of the opinion that the construction of Dam will disrupt the seasonal flow of river and will have an adverse effect on downstream agriculture and fisheries. Some experts fear the desertification of Sylhet region due to decrease of water flow in Meghna basin comprising River Surma, Kushiarra and Meghna. Majority of Bangladeshis are in anticipated fear of the probable damage that may be created after construction of Dam.
Not only in Bangladesh but also in India the construction of this dam is facing a very strong opposition. More than twenty influential social and political organizations in Manipur state have united under the banner of "Action Committee against Tapaimukh Project". These organizations have termed it as, "Water Bomb" due to its adverse effects on environment in Barrak Valley. It means that this dam is going to cause a lot of damage not only to the economy of Bangladesh but also to the people of the Manipur State. The politicians from Manipur are of the opinion that as a result of the construction of this dam about 286.20 Sq Km area will be submerged for ever. More than 40 thousands people will be rendered homeless. Eight villages situated in Barrak valley will be completely under water. More than 90 villages will be adversely affected. About 27,242 hectors of cultivable land will be lost.
The construction of the Tapaimukh Dam is being opposed by the People of Southern Assam also. Various social organizations in Southern Assam are opposing the construction of Dam due to devastating environmental impact on down stream Barrak basin. The Silchar based Society of Activist and Volunteer for Environments (SAVE) is leading the resistance movement against the construction of this dam in the Southern Assam.
People, civil society, NGOs and environmentalists of Bangladesh, Manipur and the Southern Assam have joined hand together against the construction of this dam. They are strongly criticizing the proposed constructions through seminars, rallies and demonstrations. The experts fear that construction of the Dam will affect the livelihood of about 50 million people spanning sixteen districts in Sylhet region and many more in Manipur and the Southern Assam.
Faced with public protests, the government of India has adopted a "wait and see" policy with several ministers citing Indian claims that dam would not be harmful to anyone. To pacify the people of Bangladesh a parliamentary delegation was invited to India in August 2009, to visit the dam site but the tour to the dam site was ironically cancelled due to bad weather.
The construction of the Tapaimukh Dam is nothing but an effort to convert Bangladesh into a desert by destroying its agricultural economy. We can say that the power luxury for India is a death question for Bangladesh.
Author is Pakistan based bilingual analyst on national and international strategic and defense affairs. Email: alisukhanver@hotmail.com
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Tipai Dam protests to mark Bhasani's Long March
Ehsanul Haque Jasim
Different organisations of the country are taking preparations to launch a massive movement on Tipaimukh Dam issue to voice their demand for stopping its construction to save vast areas of the country from desertification.
To mark the 29th death anniversary of legendary leader Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhasani, which will be observed on November 17, some organisations will announce different programmes on Tipaimukh Dam issue in memory of his historic Farakka Long March.
On the occasion of his death anniversary, the Tipaimukh Dam issue will be discussed by organising seminars, roundtables, discussions and other programmes by different organisations.
In May 1976 Maulana Bhasani led a massive Long March demanding demolition of the Farakka Barrage constructed by India. It was the first people's movement against India on distribution of the Ganges's water.
Surma Kushiara Meghna Bachao Andalon, an organisation of people of 16 districts of northern-eastern portion of the country, will organise a rally at Muktagan in the city on October 15. From the rally, it will announce the schedule of movement on Tipaimukh Dam issue, informed its Member Secretary Md Selim Uddin.
He told this reporter that Maulana Bhasani played a leading role at a critical moment of the nation by raising his voice against Farakka Barrage. We will raise our voice against Tipaimukh Dam in the absence of a figure like Maulana Bhasani saying that he is the pioneer of movement against India.
Islami Andolan Bangladesh (IAB) already announced a long march towards Tipaimukh Dam. Led by its chief Mufti Syed Rezaul Karim Pirsaheb of Charmonai, the long march will start from Dhaka on December 24.
IAB leaders and workers are now taking preparations to make success the long march.
Its central leader Shahidul Islam Kabir told The New Nation that already all the units of Sylhet Division of the party are working for making the long march successful. IAB will, anyhow, implement its announced long march on time in the interest of the country, said IAB joint secretary Prof ATM Hemayet Uddin.
In protest against the construction of the dam, the Sylhet unit of Jamaat-e Islami is taking preparations to hold a boat march on Kushiara river towards Tipaimukh Dam. Already it held a unique boat march on Surma river two months ago. Former Jamaat lawmaker Farid Uddin Chowdhury told this reporter the boat march on Kushiara will be held within a short time. We are taking preparation to hold the programme, he said.
Meanwhile, the units of leftist parties in Sylhet division are also planning to initiate programmes, sources said.
A three-day long march towards the dam was held from August 8 to 10 under the banner of Sylhet Division Development Action Council (SDDAC). The participants of the long march could not pass the border of Zakiganj due to police interception. At that time they announced a seven-day air march towards Delhi on January 8 to 15.
SDDAC president Advocate Abed Raza said that the air march programme will be implemented on time. "We will take visas from Indian High Commission to reach Delhi to participate at the air march," he said. He hoped that the government will help them to implement the programme.
Source:http://nation.ittefaq.com/issues/2009/10/24/news0569.htm
Friday, October 23, 2009
Tipai Dam to adversely affect country
Jessore Correspondent
Speakers at a roundtable yesterday said the existence of Bangladesh would be threatened if the Tipaimukh Dam is constructed.
Jatiya Sartho Rakkha Forum Jessore branch organised the roundtable titled `Tipaimukh Dam of India: Bangladesh's Existence Threatened" at the Jessore Press Club.
Kazi Monirul Huda, member of the Forum moderated the roundtable while it was addressed, among others, by central vice president of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) Rabiul Alam, ex-district secretary of AL Sharif Abdur Rakib, journalist Benjin Khan, Jamir Ahmed, Fakir Sawkat, Fakhre Alam, political leaders Aminul Kamal Rumi, Amjad Hossen and Mahidur Rahman Tutul.
The speakers at the programme said, the ecological and environmental situation of Bangladesh would be severely damaged if the Tipaimukh Dam is constructed. They underscored the need for unity to make India desist from constructing the dam.
Source: http://nation.ittefaq.com/issues/2009/10/21/news0358.htm
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Tipaimukh dam: IAB procession towards Indian HC intercepted
Staff Reporter
Leaders of Islami Andolan Bangladesh (IAB) yesterday said that at any cost they would resist the construction of Tipaimukh dam across the river Borak to save the country's vast area from desertification by forming strong mass movement.
Leaders of IAB said at a rally at Muktangan in the city before starting a procession towards Indian High Commission in Dhaka demanding stopping the construction of the dam.
IAB chief Mufti Syed Rzaul Karim Pirsaheb Chormonai attended the programme as chief guest. Its nayebe ameer Moulana Abdur Rashid Pirsaheb Barguna, presidium members Moulana Syed Musaddek Billah Almadani and Moulana Nurul Huda Foyezi, general secretary Moulana Yunus Ahmed, joint secretary Prof Mahbubur Rahman, city unit president Prof ATM Hemayet Uddin, central leaders Prof Syed Belayet Hossain, Moulana Ahmed Abdul Qaiyum and Sheikh Fazle Rabbi Masud, among others, addressed the programme.
When the procession reached Malibag, police intercepted and the procession could not reach its destination.
IAB chief said that the Indian government already completed all preparations to construct Tiaimukh dam at Monipur in India at the upper reaches of the rivers Surma and Kushiara violating the international law. However, we are committed to resist the construction of the dam, he added.
He called upon the citydwellers to the IAB long march programme towards Tipaimukh Dam on December 24.
Source: http://nation.ittefaq.com/issues/2009/10/20/news0253.htm
Leaders of Islami Andolan Bangladesh (IAB) yesterday said that at any cost they would resist the construction of Tipaimukh dam across the river Borak to save the country's vast area from desertification by forming strong mass movement.
Leaders of IAB said at a rally at Muktangan in the city before starting a procession towards Indian High Commission in Dhaka demanding stopping the construction of the dam.
IAB chief Mufti Syed Rzaul Karim Pirsaheb Chormonai attended the programme as chief guest. Its nayebe ameer Moulana Abdur Rashid Pirsaheb Barguna, presidium members Moulana Syed Musaddek Billah Almadani and Moulana Nurul Huda Foyezi, general secretary Moulana Yunus Ahmed, joint secretary Prof Mahbubur Rahman, city unit president Prof ATM Hemayet Uddin, central leaders Prof Syed Belayet Hossain, Moulana Ahmed Abdul Qaiyum and Sheikh Fazle Rabbi Masud, among others, addressed the programme.
When the procession reached Malibag, police intercepted and the procession could not reach its destination.
IAB chief said that the Indian government already completed all preparations to construct Tiaimukh dam at Monipur in India at the upper reaches of the rivers Surma and Kushiara violating the international law. However, we are committed to resist the construction of the dam, he added.
He called upon the citydwellers to the IAB long march programme towards Tipaimukh Dam on December 24.
Source: http://nation.ittefaq.com/issues/2009/10/20/news0253.htm
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Tipaimukh dam report handed to parliament
Dhaka, Oct 7 (bdnews24.com)
A report on the all-party parliamentary team's fact-finding mission on Tipaimukh dam project site was presented in parliament on Wednesday.
Water resources ministry-related parliamentary standing committee chairman Abdur Razzak presented the eight-page report.
Razzak, a former water resources minister, said, "During low-altitude flight of the helicopter no structure came into the view of the team of representatives.
"No preparatory activity was seen to create any barrage or structure at the low-lying areas of the project. No physical work had started for the implementation of the project," he said.
The report said Indian foreign minister S M Krishna and power minister Sushil Kumar Shinde assured the representative team that there was no irrigation component under Tipaimukh project.
No barrage or irrigation structure will be constructed on the low end or anywhere else and no water will be taken from the Borak River, they had told the team.
"The project is only being implemented to create hydroelectricity and decrease the occurrence of floods. No structure for collecting water would be created in the low end of the project," the report quoted Indian officials as saying.
India's contentious dam project is planned to cross the Barak River, which enters into Bangladesh as the Surma and Kushiara rivers. The two rivers are lifeline for hundreds of water bodies in the greater Sylhet region of Bangladesh.
A 10-member representative team headed by Razzak visited India from July 29– Aug 04. But physical visit to the site in the northeastern Manipur state was not possible on July 31 and Aug 2 due to poor weather conditions.
Razzak said on return from India that the ministers had assured them that they would not implement any project to harm Bangladesh.
Main opposition BNP has been among the loudest critics of the proposed dam, although it failed to take up the offer of sending two MPs with the delegation to India.
The report discussed various studies conducted by Indian organisations and said, "There is no major change visible in the hydro-morphological aspect in the project area."
It says that the Indian authority has for the first time handed over a booklet with detailed information and data about the project to the team. And the foreign and power minister of India have promised to give any information or data about hydrology, topography, environment of the project if Bangladesh asks for.
The report mentioned constitution of a specialist committee to study the information and data about the project.
India had already said on a number of occasions the dam would not withhold water, but environmentalists and the people of Bangladesh, as well as Manipur state, remain concerned over the impact of the projected dam in vulnerable downstream areas.
PM stresses negotiation on Tipai dam issue
Star Online Report
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today reiterated in the parliament that her government would not make any concession that may harm Bangladesh’s interests through construction of Tipaimukh dam by India.
Responding to a supplementary question from ex-Law Minister Abdul Matin Khasru, Hasina said the government has decided to constitute an expert committee to monitor the situation.
The prime minister expressed firm optimism that her government will settle the issue of Tipaimukh dam through discussion with India.
She said India assured the parliamentary delegation that visited the Tipaimukh-dam site that the dam was designed to produce hydroelectricity and reduce the intensity of floods.
“Instead of getting locked in arguments, we better resolve the problem through discussion. I’ve firm conviction that any problem could be resolved through discussion," she said.
"We had settled the Ganges water-sharing issue through negotiation with New Delhi and signed an agreement for 30 years on the sharing of waters of the Ganges. So I firmly believe that we can resolve any problem through negotiation.
"We already decided to form an expert committee on the issue and negations will also continue with India," she added.
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