[Virtually,
the ‘Joint Basin Management’ idea was conceived after the Teesta water sharing
treaty, almost ready to be signed between the two countries but got not inked
following some objections from Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.]
By
New Spotlight Online
Bangladesh High Commissioner in India, Syed
Muazzem Ali stressed on the need to give all rivers flowing in the region a new
lease of life.
“The people of Bangladesh face water crisis
for three months a year. Rivers have lost their capacity to reserve water, and
people experience water problems during the dry spell and then floods due to
the monsoon rains,” Ali said, adding, “Joint Basin Management is imperative to resolve
the crisis and it can be started from the Ganga basin, which is connected with
Nepal, India and Bangladesh. In the Brahamaputra Basin, another country, China,
is also involved.”
Talking to reporters on his return journey
here on Friday, Mr Ali said that the Bangladesh government has proposed that
India begin a ‘Joint Basin Management’ project to resolve the acute water
crisis.
Virtually, the ‘Joint Basin Management’ idea
was conceived after the Teesta water sharing treaty, almost ready to be signed between
the two countries but got not inked following some objections from Chief Minister Mamata
Banerjee.
“It is very much possible to bring back the
life of rivers. Dredging is required for a river from its origin to its end.
But we do dredging in a particular section. We need to study a number of
bridges, dams, embankments on the rivers from their origins. We suffered a lot
and can’t manage river by preventing its natural course,” he added.
The High Commissioner also said that waters
from the Teesta are required for farmers. “The poorest people live there where
the Teesta passes in Bangladesh,” he said.
He also claimed that the number of tourists
visiting India from Bangladesh has increased three fold in the recent past and
that it would increase more after implementation of some other projects,
including setting up of a visa office in Siliguri and air service from Dhaka to
Bagdogra. “The visa office will be set up here if the Indian government gives
its consent,” he added.
Asked to comment on the Bangladeshi people’s
visit to Bhutan, the High Commissioner said: “People from Bangladesh go to
Bhutan by air. They can’t go by road. Road visits would be possible after the
implementation of the BBIN (Bangladesh Bhutan India Nepal) motor vehicles
agreement, though Bhutan has failed to ratify the agreement.”
However, according to him, the same will be
implemented within two to three years. The High Commissioner also stressed on
the need of ‘energy cooperation’ between India and Bangladesh, and termed it
important.
Showcasing Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh
Hasina’s steps to maintain better relations with India, Mr Ali said that his
country wants to revive the old railway connectivity, riverine connectivity and
create more Indo- Bangladesh border haats (market). According to him, three
Indian ministers, including the Union home minister, are scheduled to visit
Bangladesh within three months.