Syeda Rizwana Hasan, adviser to the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change and the Ministry of Water Resources, has emphasised the urgent need for action on river water management between Bangladesh and its upstream neighbour. “We must remember that river water is not just about politics; it is about diplomacy and economics too,” he added.
She also said that embankments will be strategically built in key locations to prevent floods in the country in future. “The government is sincerely working on repairing flood-damaged embankments and regulators from recent floods. Modern planning and surveys are being undertaken to ensure embankments don’t collapse in the future. The Ministry of Water Resources and other agencies concerned are taking swift action on this matter,” said Rizwana.
She made these remarks while talking to journalists during a visit to a flood-damaged embankment at Parshuram upazila in Feni on Sunday.
She visited the damaged embankments in the India-bordering areas of Nij Kalikapur and Ballamukha at Parshuram upazila. She also visited the flood-damaged Feni regulator at Sonagazi upazila in the district.
Nazmul Ahsan, secretary of the Ministry of Water Resources; Musammat Shahina Akter; Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Feni; Md. Habibur Rahman, Superintendent of Police (SP) Md. Habibur Rahman; and Lt. Col. Mohammad Mosharraf Hossain, Commander of the 4th BGB Battalion in Feni, along with other government officials were present at the time.
Syeda Rizwana Hasan also visited the family of Shaheed Ekram Hossain Kawsar, a victim of recent anti-discrimination protests, at their home in Paglir Kul village in Parshuram Upazila, expressing her condolences and support.
Speaking about flood and embankments, she said, “We are here to understand the suffering and expectations of our people and to engage in meaningful talks with the upstream country accordingly. The era of government inaction or silence on such critical issues is over,” she said.
She pointed out that illegal and unregulated sand extraction has contributed to the damage of embankments. Illegal leases will be revoked and sand extraction from these areas will be stopped in order protect the embankments.
She also mentioned that illegal encroachments on rivers will be removed. She called upon everyone to t work together to safeguard these national assets.
Highlighting the ongoing challenges related to the Teesta River, she said that despite 53 years of discussions, a formal agreement on water-sharing has yet to be signed. She stressed the humanitarian aspect of the issue, urging both nations to reach a consensus on water management and disaster response.
“Even if the agreement results in less water for us that is another matter. But we must save the people of our country. Our neighbour cannot ignore this demand. We have prepared an outline of the information we need and how we will approach discussions, which will be finalized after further talks,” she added.
The Adviser mentioned that they would request timely flood data from India and other international communities.
During the visit, Syeda Rizwana Hasan spoke with local officials, representatives, and residents, and instructed them to take prompt action where necessary.
