Water Resources Minister Md Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anee has said the government has taken initiatives to secure approval of the Teesta Master Plan (TMP) from the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) as soon as possible.
“Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has considered the Teesta Master Plan a priority project. The people living along the Teesta River will have no more worries,” he said.
The minister made the remarks while exchanging views with river erosion victims near the Teesta Bridge in Rangpur alongside Disaster Management and Relief Minister Asadul Habib Dulu and State Minister for Water Resources Farhad Hossain Azad.
Earlier, Anee visited the Teesta Barrage, Teesta Irrigation Canal and Charalkata River in Nilphamari and held discussions with officials on the technical aspects of the project.
Addressing the meetings, the minister said the Teesta Master Plan would be implemented with full domestic financing alongside domestic and foreign technical assistance.
“We are moving quickly to implement the Teesta Master Plan, which has long been awaited by the people of northern Bangladesh. Teesta is not only the sorrow of Lalmonirhat, Nilphamari and Rangpur; it is the sorrow of the entire country,” he said.
According to the minister, the project will strengthen the economy of northern Bangladesh and contribute to national economic growth.
He said necessary surveys and technical preparations are already underway on issues related to dredging, water conservation and river management.
The minister said the government is working to find a permanent solution to the problems facing the Teesta basin.
Through the implementation of the project, measures will be taken to prevent river erosion during the monsoon, control floods and conserve water during the dry season, he added.
The stored water will support agriculture and fisheries and help improve the quality of life of people living in the region.
Anee recalled that former President Ziaur Rahman launched the Teesta Barrage Project to promote agricultural development in northern Bangladesh.
He said the current government is now working to implement the Teesta Master Plan to address long-standing challenges in the river basin.
The minister noted that riverbank erosion has intensified due to strong water flows from the upstream Gajoldoba Barrage, while excessive flows have made life difficult for people in many riverbank areas.
He said planned dredging and embankment construction would be undertaken to address these challenges.
Speaking at the event, Disaster Management and Relief Minister Asadul Habib Dulu urged residents not to be influenced by misinformation or controversy surrounding the project.
“Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has taken the Teesta Master Plan very seriously. We will succeed,” he said.
State Minister for Water Resources Farhad Hossain Azad said experts from different countries are reviewing the technical and practical aspects of the project to ensure its successful implementation.
Senior officials, including Water Resources Secretary Dr AKM Shahabuddin, Bangladesh Water Development Board Director General Engineer Md Enayet Ullah, local administrators and public representatives, were present at the programme.
