Md. Mafiz Uddin Sarker, Rangpur

Commenting that the Teesta Master Plan Project will not have any impact on the geopolitical context, Power China Country Manager Han Kun said, "We have come to implement the project on the Teesta River at a time when the people here have lost their land and resources. That is why we have come to listen to the people here. This project will not have any impact on the geopolitical context because it is a commercial project. In a project that benefits people, the geopolitical context is secondary and this project will not be harmful to the environment."

The Water Development Board and the project implementing agency Power China have exchanged views with the partners of the 5 northern districts bordering the Teesta River for the implementation of the mega project on Rangpur's Teesta.

On Monday, a meeting was held at the Rangpur Deputy Commissioner's conference room organized by the Water Development Board with the participation of people from the Teesta banks, activists to protect the Teesta river, representatives of civil society, political leaders and other stakeholders on the 'Integrated Management and Restoration of the Teesta River Project'. The meeting was chaired by Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Rabiul Faisal and presented the details of the project, Power China's senior expat Maqbul Hossain.

The senior expat of Power China said that through the 'Integrated Management and Restoration of the Teesta River Project', 1,330 lakh cubic meters of dredging will be done in 110 kilometers of the river in the 5 northern districts of Nilphamari, Lalmonirhat, Rangpur, Kurigram and Gaibandha. The entire river bank will be protected, dam construction and repair work will be done on both sides of the river, 67 groynes or spurs will be built and repaired, road construction work will be done on both sides of the river, 170.87 square kilometers of land will be reclaimed and developed, and environmental and social protection work will be done. If this project is implemented, river erosion will be prevented due to groyne construction and bank protection, flood risk will be reduced through dam construction and repair work, river flow will be controlled and the river will be restored through dredging.

By filling the excavated soil, the land along the riverbank will be restored and economic zones, power plants, satellite towns will be built on that land, opportunities for irrigation and agricultural development will be created, necessary water will be stored in the Teesta River upstream of the barrage including tributaries during the monsoon for use in irrigation during the dry season, and the environmental balance in the project area will be maintained by storing water during the dry season. If the project is implemented, the riverbank assets worth Tk 11,239 crore will be protected.

Among others, Mahbubur Rahman, Chief Engineer of the Northern Region of the Water Development Board, spoke at the meeting.

At this time, the speakers called for the implementation of sustainable projects on the Teesta River, including achieving a fair share of Teesta river water, water conservation, sediment management, protecting agriculture in the 5 northern districts, establishing industries, and not implementing any isolated projects on the Teesta except mega projects to protect the livelihoods and biodiversity of the north. Power China Country Manager Hankun and other senior officials were present at the meeting.