Rangpur comes to standstill for 5 mins to save Teesta

Rangpur today came to a standstill for five minutes as a demonstration was held urging the government to implement the Teesta Master Plan project from its own fund without any further delay.

Teesta Bachao Nadi Bachao Sangram Parishad, a local rights body in Rangpur, organised the human chain programme for five minutes from 11:00am in the morning at 29 points across the district.

Mostafizar Rahman Mostafa, mayor of Rangpur City Corporation, also leader of Jatiya Party and adviser of Teesta Bachao Nadi Bachao Sangram Parishad, also attended the programme.

Traffic movement came to a halt, and people from all walks of life joined the demo urging the government to save the Teesta.

RCC Mayor Mostafa said the people of Rangpur have awakened over the Teesta issue.

He demanded that the government implement the Teesta Master Plan using its own fund and also urged to implement the 6-point-demand.

The demands include signing the Teesta Deal, dredging of Teesta, and erosion control management to save the crops and livelihood of millions of people.

Due to the side effects of river erosion, the width of Teesta river has now increased to 10-12km in some places. The adverse effects of climate change continue to worsen the situation.

Speakers said the danger of untimely flash floods and river erosion is increasing in Bangladesh area due to the hill slopes in Indian upstream.

Water is being held back during the dry season using the dam in Gajoldoba in West Bengal's Jalpaiguri district.

When the water-level rises, gates of the dam are opened without informing the Bangladeshi authorities, leading to massive crop losses threatening the food security of the country.

Due to the improper management of Teesta, the poverty rate in the division has increased to 46 percent, while poverty rate in the country is around 20 percent, said the speakers.

Nazrul Islam Haqqani, the president of the committee, urged the government to use opinions of leading experts and invest in the protection of the Teesta.