‘Mass Meeting on 31 January 2015 in London’ decided at a meeting titled ‘Save the Rivers, Save the Country’

Posted by Ameenur Rasheed on December 29, 2014.

(বাংলা সংস্করনের জন্য এখানে প্রেস করুন  http://bangladeshmatters.com/farakka-uk-bangla/)

‘A broad based meeting shall be held on 31 January 2015’ decided at a meeting titled ‘Save the Rivers, Save the Country’ organised by the Bangladeshi Diaspora organisation ‘Patriots of Bangladesh’ on last 20 January in Whitechapel of East London at the call of USA based environmentalist organisation ‘International Farakka Committe’. The talk was presided by veteran politician and eminent community dignitary Mr Shamsul Haque Chowdhury while participated by distinguished academician Prof Dr K M A Malik, prominent columnist Mr Gaziul Hasan Khan, environmental activist Mr Sheikh Mohiuddin Ahmed, barrister Nazir Ahmed, Mufti Shah Sadruddin, Prof Abdul Quadir Saleh, barrister Alimul Haque Liton, media activist Mr Ameenur Rasheed, Hasan Noori Chowdhury, Kazi Monsur Hussain, journalist Rahmot Ali and Muhammad Qamaruddin.

The speakers have accused that India has been unilaterally moving ahead with its plan to build barrages, dams and hydraulic power plant in the upstream of 53 trans-national rivers flowing across Bangladesh without any consultation with the country. The Indian Government has already launched 16 mega power plants on the trans-national rivers to supply electricity to its North East Region as part of its targeted 50,000.00 mega watt. It is also learnt that India has planned to build 8 more dams in that region. To unilaterally divert the water of trans-national rivers is a clear infringement of internationally recognised norms and conventions. India is causing severely destructive impact on the agriculture, environment and economy of Bangladesh by unilaterally building the barrages and dams as it already did to the northern region of Bangladesh by previously built Farakka Barrage, the speaker have further accused.

The speakers have demanded that Bangladesh approach the United Nations, relevant International Courts, authorities and agencies and wider international community for their intervention in case India is not willing to solve it in co-operative manner.

They have also express their concern in that Bangladesh authority has failed to take any action despite that it has previously gone to International Court for the arbitration on the maritime boundary between Bangladesh and India.

The speakers have urged the people to press the Government by creating mass awareness of the crucial issue.

‘Patriots of Bangladesh’ has decided to organise a continuous campaign by holding public meetings and seminar-symposium on the above issues. As part of this campaign it has also decided to hold a broad based consultation meeting on 31 January 2015 in London and a 3 members committee has been formed with task of organising the event. Members of the public have been earnestly urged to contact media activist Mr Ameenur Rasheed via phone number +447939847723 or email address ameenur1@yahoo.co.uk in the matter.