Staff Reporter :
Bangladesh’s Information and Broadcasting Affairs Adviser Md Nahid Islam has condemned India for opening a dam without prior warning, accusing it of displaying non-cooperation and an inhumane attitude.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday following a meeting of the advisory council at the state guesthouse Jamuna, chaired by Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus, Nahid expressed discontent with India’s actions. He was joined by Environment, Forest and Climate Change Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan and Youth and Sports Affairs Adviser Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuiyan, who also briefed the press on various issues.
“We hope India will abandon such policies that negatively impact the people of Bangladesh. There is growing anger among students and the general populace regarding India’s actions,” Nahid stated. He emphasised the need for joint efforts between the two countries to address and manage natural disasters effectively.
Nahid expressed hope for maintaining amicable relations between India and Bangladesh, based on mutual respect and equality.
In response to the situation, BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi accused India of deliberately opening the gates of the Dumbur Dam on the Gomti River in Tripura, which he claims led to flooding in Bangladesh’s eastern districts. Rizvi suggested that India’s actions reflected indifference to the safety and well-being of Bangladeshis.
He reported that hundreds of villages, roads, and agricultural land in nine eastern districts have been submerged due to the sudden influx of water, severely disrupting public life. Rizvi also noted that many people are living in dire conditions, with their livestock lost and crops ruined.
The Indian Ministry of External Affairs has refuted these claims, stating that the allegations regarding the Dumbur Dam’s role in the floods are not factually accurate. In a statement issued on Thursday, the Indian MEA highlighted that heavy rainfall in the catchment areas of the Gomti River, which spans both India and Bangladesh, has been the primary cause of the flooding.
“The flood situation in Bangladesh is primarily due to water from these large catchment areas downstream of the dam,” the statement read, disputing the assertion that the dam’s release was responsible for the current flood conditions.
The ongoing dispute underscores the need for clear communication and collaboration between India and Bangladesh to manage shared water resources and address cross-border environmental issues effectively.