2024-09-09 12:33:18
11 districts of Bangladesh including Feni have been submerged in floods by cutting the dam of the river. Prominent people have demanded India’s trial in the International Court of Justice and compensation for the victims of this water encroachment.
They made this demand by participating in the ‘Strike for Water Justice’ program in Feni on Friday (September 6). Feni’s civic platform ‘Amra Fenivasi’ organized this program in the premises of Feni’s Shahid Minar. Renowned experts of the country, representatives of civil society, journalists, students and people of various classes and professions participated in it.
The program was presided over by Stamford University’s Dean of Science Faculty and Professor of Environmental Science. Ahmad Kamruzzaman Majumdar. Shahadat Hossain, editor of Dainik Fenir period and General Secretary of Feni District Committee of Citizens (Sujan) for Good Governance, highlighted the ’11-point Feni Declaration’ from the program.
The strike program was moderated by Burhan Uddin Faisal, one of the founders of the organizing platform ‘Amra Fenivasi’, river and water expert Mohammad Ejaz, convenor of Buriganga Bachao Andolan and joint secretary of Bangladesh Environment Movement (Bapa) Mihir Biswas, joint secretary of Bapa Humayun Kabir Suman, Bangladesh. Former President of Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) M Abdullah, Women Leader Noor Tanzila Rahman, Former President of Feni Press Club Abdur Rahim, Editor of Daily Feni Arif Rizvi, Joint Editor of Feni District Lawyers Association Emdad Hossain, Poet and Social Worker Fazlul Haque, Social Worker Amer Makki, Abdul Aziz, coordinator of anti-discrimination student movement in Feni district, Imam Hossain, coordinator of private university of anti-discrimination student movement, poet and social activist Alauddin Adar. At the end of the program, the central leader of Jamaat-e-Islami, Professor Liaquat Ali Bhuiya, expressed solidarity with this program. Kefayet Shakeel, one of the founders of the Amara Fenibasi platform, delivered the welcome speech. Abdullah Hassan, another entrepreneur, was in charge of the event.
Professor Dr. Ahmad Kamruzzaman Majumdar said that this flood is not only natural, India cannot avoid its responsibility in any way. People of 11 districts, including Feni, have suffered psychological, physical and financial losses due to this flood.
Ahmad Kamruzzaman Majumdar demanded proper compensation from the international community. At the same time, this expert demanded the removal of dams in all the same rivers.
Mohammad Ejaz said that India can put the people of Bangladesh in danger by cutting the dam in one day, this flood is an example of that. India has 68 dams in 54 identical rivers of Bangladesh and India. India will have to account for each.
This water expert said that India could not build a dam in Farakka even after trying for a long time. India was able to build this dam during the regime of Sheikh Mujib. Full control of the Feni River is in the hands of India. Sheikh Hasina was a product of Delhi hegemony in this country. The speech of development in the country was not Hasina’s, it was a bully taught by Modi. Sheikh Hasina has destroyed rivers and environment in the name of development.
Mihir Biswas said that the people of Feni know how to survive by fighting. Feni people will not lose even against Indian water invasion. India has to deal with water non-discrimination.
Humayun Kabir Sumon said, ‘This country’s flood is more political than natural.’ He demanded India’s trial in the international court for water encroachment.
Journalist leader M Abdullah said that India has been carrying out not only water terrorism, but also the killing of Bangladeshis at the border, taking away the voting rights of this country and commercial aggression for a long time. India will pay the price if its behavior does not change.
The 11-point Feni Declaration includes-
1. Dams/barrages or whatever they are called should be removed from all transboundary rivers.
2. India’s deliberate damming at Parasuram in Feni is largely responsible for this flood. For this, with the help of the United Nations, India should face trial in the international court.
3. The protection dam cut by India in the no-man’s land at Muhuri Char should be rebuilt immediately.
4. A fair share of Bangladesh’s water should be ensured and illegal extraction of water from the Feni river should not continue.
5. Proper compensation should be given to every citizen affected by flood.
6. Agriculture, fisheries, poultry and other traders should be given compensation, incentives and loans on easy terms.
7. Damage to education and infrastructure sectors should be assessed and repaired as soon as possible.
8. Effective measures are now required to prevent river erosion. Steps should be taken to rebuild Muchapur Closer without delay.
9. Global climate change is also responsible for the increase in flood damage, for which compensation should be collected from the responsible countries. Bangladesh government should take effective measures to prevent climate change.
10. No obstruction can be created in the reservoir in the name of development. Filled canals and river naves should be returned. Strict action should be taken against encroachers.
11. We want effective measures to prevent pollution of rivers and environment and stop deforestation.
Some local youth organizations also participated in the program. These include Feni District Volunteer Parivar, Youth Net Global Feni Branch, Eco Revolution, Feni Chhatra and Yuva Samiti, Lashkar Hat Blood Donate Association, Mirza Foundation, Mission Green Bangladesh, Bangladesh Nature Conservation Alliance (BNCA), Prayas, Amrai Gami and Feni. Flood Response Team.