‘Teesta Master Plan essential to end flooding’

The people of the Teesta basin will continue to suffer from floods, droughts, and river erosion unless the Teesta Barrage Master Plan is implemented said Disaster Management and Relief Minister Asadul Habib Dulu.

“The region cannot be protected from floods, droughts, and riverbank erosion until the Teesta Master Plan is implemented. Its implementation is now the need of the hour,” the minister said while distributing emergency relief among flood-affected residents of Mogalhat, Rajpur, and Khuniyagachh unions in Lalmonirhat Sadar Upazila on Thursday.

Referring to his recent visit to China, where he sought Chinese cooperation in implementing the Teesta Master Plan, and to the Prime Minister’s remarks on the Teesta in the National Parliament, he said the current government is committed to implementing the project.

The minister also called on people to spread the message of the “Jaga Bahe, Teesta Bachai” (Awaken, Save the Teesta) movement, which he initiated.

He said the Teesta is deeply intertwined with the lives, livelihoods, and economy of the people of northern Bangladesh.

“The Teesta is not merely a river. It is a vital foundation for agricultural production, fisheries, ecological balance, biodiversity, and regional development,” he said. Local administration officials and political leaders were present during the relief distribution programme.