Md Al Mumin, Gangachhara (Rangpur)

A 48-hour sit-in program has started in North Bengal from on Monday demanding a fair share of Teesta river water, adoption and implementation of the master plan.

The leaders of the Teesta River Protection Movement have called for this program under the slogan 'Jago Bahe Teesta Bachai'.

Many people have joined the 48-hour sit-in program at 11 points since Monday morning.

The protesters are stationed on the banks of the 115-kilometer Teesta River. The organizers will spend the night at the site, where they will cook and perform folk songs. They will also light thousands of torches at night to inform the world about the condition of the Teesta.

All kinds of preparations have been made for this program, which started to demand the implementation of the Teesta River Water Sharing Agreement and the master plan, said Principal Asadul Habib Dulu, the chief coordinator of the Teesta River Protection Movement.

Like other districts of Rangpur division, people are taking up positions at three places in Lalmonirhat district. These include the Teesta Bridge area of Sadar Upazila, the Teesta Bridge area of Mohipur and the country's largest irrigation project, the Teesta Barrage area. People have started coming to various points since the morning on the first day of the 48 hours. Many are also coming in groups with processions.

A stage has been prepared for the two-day stay, and various arrangements have been made, including a pandal for overnight stays. There are various arrangements including a march, discussion, torchlight display standing on the Teesta, and documentary screenings. BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir will be present at the Teesta Bridge area point in the afternoon. And on Tuesday, the party's acting chairman Tarique Rahman will be connected via video call.

The people of Teesta want to take part in this movement and present the tragic story of the river to the world. Thousands of torches will be lit at night to attract international attention. Barrister Hasan Rajib Pradhan, coordinator of the movement to protect the Teesta River, said, "People have started coming from different places since morning. We have made all kinds of preparations. The long-standing demand of the people of this region is the implementation of the Teesta Master Plan. The party's central leaders will be present at the 48-hour sit-in program. He also said that instructions on how to conduct the Teesta movement will come from there.

According to locals, this movement could be an important turning point in Bangladesh's water resources policy. If the Teesta Agreement and Master Plan are not implemented, the farmers living on the banks of the river will face the same uncertainty every year.

Meanwhile, the water in the Teesta has increased due to the sudden inflow of the upstream before the movement. Where the dusty sandbank was visible on Saturday morning, water has been flowing since the afternoon.

On Saturday afternoon, Lalmonirhat Water Development Board (WDB ) Executive Engineer Sunil Kumar said, “The water in the Teesta has increased slightly, but it will not cause any major damage. The barrage’s sluice gates have been closed to control the water.”

Where the Teesta Barrage is supposed to have 3000 cusecs of water, which is less than 1800 cusecs in February, it is currently flowing over 3600 cusecs due to the increase in water. However, various questions have been raised about the sudden flow of water on the dry sandbank. Locals claim that India has deliberately released water at this time so that the Teesta movement is hampered.