Staff Reporter:
BNP Secretary General and LGRD and Cooperatives Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Friday described Farakka Day as a historic and significant occasion in Bangladesh’s struggle to secure people’s rights.
In a message marking the historic Farakka Day on 16 May, the BNP secretary general said millions of people joined a historic long march in 1976 under the leadership of Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani to demand Bangladesh’s fair share of water from the Ganges.
He said the movement drew international attention to the possible environmental and humanitarian consequences of the Farakka Barrage for Bangladesh.
Fakhrul alleged that unilateral withdrawal of water from shared rivers, ignoring international laws and conventions, has threatened Bangladesh’s existence. He said the situation has created water shortages, environmental imbalance and risks of desertification in the country’s northwestern region.
The BNP leader said Farakka Day remains highly relevant and continues to inspire movements for people’s legitimate rights.
He also wished success to programmes organised by different groups to mark the occasion.
