Teesta master plan must act now Jamaat Ameer
Opposition leader in parliament and Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Shafiqur Rahman has called for the immediate implementation of the long-delayed Teesta Master Plan, saying the people of northern Bangladesh are tired of unfulfilled promises.
Speaking at a civic gathering at Rangpur Shilpakala Auditorium on Friday evening, Shafiqur Rahman emphasised that slogans such as “Jago Bahe, Teesta Bachao” are no longer sufficient. “The people living along the Teesta are now awakened.
They want their rights and legitimate demands fulfilled. The state must show sincerity towards their demands,” he said.
Highlighting regional disparities, he said Rangpur has long suffered from neglect, with the people facing persistent challenges in agriculture, river management, environment, and livelihoods.
He stressed that the Teesta Master Plan could positively impact the lives of nearly 25 million people in northern Bangladesh.
While acknowledging the importance of other development projects, including the Padma Barrage, Shafiqur Rahman urged that the Teesta initiative receive equal priority.
“The life-and-death concerns of the people of northern Bangladesh should not be ignored,” he added.
He also urged local residents to organise and build a movement to ensure the plan’s implementation.
“The Teesta Master Plan will not be implemented automatically.
Only when your voices reach parliament will the path to implementing the project become easier,” he said.
Shafiqur Rahman noted that Jamaat had previously promised, if elected, to prioritise the project, but said political circumstances had prevented them from forming the government.
He affirmed that the party continues to raise the issue in parliament from the opposition.
On other matters, he denied allegations that Jamaat had prior knowledge of the United States-Bangladesh reciprocal trade agreement signed during the interim government’s tenure.
“No one from the interim government discussed this trade agreement with us in any form,” he said.
Regarding local government elections, he stated that Jamaat would participate in the vote to ensure democratic leadership changes, while voicing concerns about the fairness of the process.
Shafiqur Rahman also addressed regional human rights issues, condemning attacks and persecution in India’s West Bengal and elsewhere on the basis of religious identity.
On the government’s conduct, he said Jamaat would support initiatives that benefit the country but oppose corruption and wrongdoing.
“We do not want politics of confrontation; we want politics based on trust,” he said.
He further criticised politically motivated appointments in university administrations, alleging that loyalists are being appointed to key positions without accountability.
“Although universities are centres of knowledge, party loyalists are being appointed as vice-chancellors, pro-vice-chancellors, and proctors.
The government must remember that no one’s plans are final,” he added.
The event, chaired by Rangpur metropolitan Jamaat Ameer ATM Azam Khan, was also addressed by Jamaat Nayeb-e-Ameer ATM Azharul Islam, Assistant Secretary General Maulana Abdul Halim, and central executive council member and Rangpur-3 MP Mahbubar Rahman Belal.
