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Bangladesh needs to be included in the 'Saptakoshi River Dam Project', jointly taken by India and Nepal, to ensure proper sharing of water of the common river, water experts told a seminar in the city Thursday, reports UNB.
They said Bangladesh has legal right to get share of water as the Saptakoshi is part of the inter-country Ganges River system.
The opposition Awami League organised the seminar, titled 'Water Resource Management in Bangladesh and Success, Failure and Future Action' at the Jatiya Press Club Thursday noon.
Country's renowned economist and water expert Dr Kholiquzzaman Ahmed presented the keynote paper in the seminar.
"With the project, some 3500-4000 megawatt of power could be generated and the water flow in the Ganges river during dry season be increased. So inclusion of Bangladesh in the project is a must," Kholiquzzaman told the seminar.
Referring to the recent meeting of the Indo-Bangla Joint River Commission, Kholiquzzaman said the issue of Shaptakoshi project should have been placed there for a detailed discussion.
He said Indian and Nepalese experts are jointly preparing a detailed report on the project, leaving Bangladesh out of it, he said.
"Bangladesh will face adverse consequences if it is not included in any such inter-country project in future," Kholiquzzaman apprehended.
Chaired by former water resources minister Abdur Razzak, the seminar was addressed, among others, by Dr Habibur Rahman of BUET, former water resources secretary Dr Shamsul Huda, AL presidium members Tofail Ahmed, Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir and journalist ABM Musa.
The speakers emphasised the need for regional cooperation among Bangladesh, India and Nepal to resolve all complications over water sharing.
They also underscored the need for formulating a national water management plan and reforming national water policy.
The seminar put forward an 11-point suggestion for consideration at national and international levels for proper sharing of water of all the common rivers.
The suggestions include all-out efforts for signing agreements for proper distribution of water of important rivers like Dharala, Dudhkumari, Manu, Khoai, Gumti, Muhuri, import of hydroelectricity from Bhutan, Nepal, and immediate implementation of multidimensional Ganga-Dam Project.
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