Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has pledged to begin construction of the Padma and Teesta barrages as soon as possible and complete the projects swiftly to address water shortages, particularly in northern Bangladesh.
The Prime Minister, who is also chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), made the announcement while addressing a public rally at the historic Madrasa Maidan in Rajshahi on Tuesday (October 20) afternoon.
Referring to the 2024 mass uprising, Tarique Rahman accused the previous government of killing hundreds of people before being ousted from power.
He said the government inaugurated a memorial in Dhaka on Monday to honour those killed during the uprising.
“BNP embraces both 1971 and 2024,” he said, referring to the Liberation War and the July uprising.
He said the government was working to provide employment opportunities for families of those killed during the uprising and medical treatment for those injured.
The Prime Minister also criticised unnamed political parties for failing to attend Monday’s memorial inauguration despite being invited.
He accused those parties of professing support for the July uprising while failing to honour its victims, drawing parallels with what he described as their conduct during the 1971 Liberation War.
Turning to recent labour unrest, Tarique Rahman alleged that attempts were being made to create instability at several factories across the country.
Citing intelligence reports, he claimed that individuals linked to the ousted government were providing financial support from across the border to groups seeking to foment unrest inside Bangladesh.
He alleged that the groups were working with certain political actors to destabilise the country and urged people to remain vigilant.
The Prime Minister did not publicly present evidence to substantiate the allegations or identify the groups involved.
Highlighting the government’s efforts to improve irrigation facilities, Tarique Rahman said a nationwide canal excavation and re-excavation programme was underway.
He said the government planned to excavate or re-excavate 20,000 kilometres of canals over five years, of which approximately 800 kilometres had been completed in the past eight months.
The programme would improve irrigation facilities for farmers and help replenish groundwater, particularly in the drought-prone northern region, he said.
Describing northern Bangladesh as the country’s agricultural heartland, the Prime Minister recalled the canal excavation programme initiated during the presidency of his father, Ziaur Rahman, and the development of the Barind irrigation project.
Returning to the region’s water shortages, Tarique Rahman said declining water flow in the Padma had made the construction of barrages on the Padma and Teesta necessary.
He said the government would hold talks with those responsible for the water-related problems and pursue Bangladesh’s rightful share of river water.
“We will go as far as necessary to secure Bangladesh’s fair share of water,” he said.
The Prime Minister said efforts would be made to begin work on both barrages as soon as possible and complete them without unnecessary delay.
The rally was chaired by BNP Acting Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi and conducted by Rajshahi City Corporation Administrator Mahfuzur Rahman Riton.
BNP Standing Committee member Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Land Minister Mizanur Rahman Minu, Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir, Cultural Affairs Minister Nitai Roy Chowdhury, and lawmakers Abu Sayeed Chand, Professor Nazrul Islam and Shafiqul Haque Milon addressed the rally.
Other attendees included State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Mir Shahe Alam, Prime Minister’s Adviser on Posts, Telecommunications, Information Technology, Science and Technology Rehan Asif Asad, BNP Industries Affairs Secretary Abul Kalam, reserved-seat lawmaker Mahmuda Habiba, Dhaka District BNP General Secretary Nipun Roy Chowdhury and BNP Chairman’s Adviser Major General (retd) Sharif Uddin.
