Staff Correspondent:

The government is giving top priority to prevent erosion along the Teesta river, with plans to finalise the design of the Teesta master plan by October this year, Adviser to the Ministry of Water Resources Syeda Rizwana Hasan said on Tuesday (July 15).

“We have organised five public hearings with local and international experts for the Teesta Master Plan. Their recommendations have been sent to the ministries concerned, and we expect to finalise the design by October based on expert consensus,” she told reporters while visiting riverbank protection works near Gharialdanga Khitabkha Government Primary School in Rajarhat upazila in Kurigram.

She said, of the 45 kilometers of the most erosion-prone areas along the Teesta, work is already underway on 19 kilometers.

“Funding has been secured for the remaining 26 kilometers and construction will begin soon,” says a ministry release.

On the demand for a permanent embankment, she said, “This is completely justified, but it needs long-term planning and time. For now, we are focusing on emergency protection works in the most vulnerable spots so local people get quick relief,” according to the ministry release.

About water sharing, she said, “The Teesta water-sharing treaty is the rightful demand of Bangladesh’s people, and the government is trying to secure it following international law.”

During her visit, she was accompanied by Md Enayet Ullah, DG of the Bangladesh Water Development Board, Md Mahbubur Rahman, Chief Engineer of Rangpur BWDB, Nusrat Sultana, DC of Kurigram, Md Mahfuzur Rahman, SP of Kurigram, Md Subedar Islam, Conservator of Forests, Nur Alam, DG of the Department of Environment, and Md Rakibul Islam, Executive Engineer of Kurigram BWDB.

Later, she also visited river protection works near Gatiasham Clinic in Rajarhat and right-bank protection upstream of the Panjarbhanga Railway Bridge in Kaunia, Rangpur, and spoke with local residents.