Bangladesh Government Forms 8-Member Committee to Advance Teesta Master Plan

The government has formed an eight-member expert committee to facilitate the implementation of the Teesta Master Plan. Water Resources Adviser Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Annie said the committee is expected to submit its report to the government within the next one to one-and-a-half months.

He made the remarks to reporters on Thursday after a meeting with the Chief Adviser at the Bangladesh Secretariat.

Speaking about the meeting, Annie said discussions focused on integrated water management in the Teesta basin under the leadership of the Chief Adviser.

“We are working to determine how the management process can be completed as quickly as possible. Experts have already begun their work, and we have also formed an eight-member expert committee. They are expected to submit a report within approximately one to one-and-a-half months,” he said.

He added that the government would review the report once it is submitted and take the next steps accordingly.

“This is not a project that can be completed within a few days. It will take time, but we are trying to accelerate the process as much as possible,” he said.

Annie noted that the Chief Adviser had emphasized the urgency of implementing the Teesta Master Plan and reiterated the government's commitment to completing the project at the earliest possible time.

Disaster Management and Relief Adviser Asadul Habib Dulu, who was also present at the meeting, said he has long been associated with movements concerning the Teesta River and welcomed the government's renewed focus on the project.

“The Chief Adviser made a commitment during the election campaign that the Teesta Master Plan would be implemented on a priority basis. During today's discussion, I observed that same sincerity and commitment. He has instructed us to begin work as quickly as possible,” Dulu said.

He noted that the master plan is designed as a 10-year project with an estimated cost of Tk 120 billion to Tk 130 billion (Tk 12,000–13,000 crore).

“I do not consider the cost to be a major obstacle. However, technical support may be required from external sources,” he added.

State Minister for Water Resources Farhad Hossain Azad said the government aims to ensure that people living along the Teesta River, as well as citizens across the country, can see visible progress on the project within a short period.

“The Chief Adviser has made a commitment to implement the Teesta Master Plan, and we are working swiftly to fulfill that commitment,” he said.

Azad said the government has identified several key priorities under the master plan, with water conservation and strengthening the Teesta Barrage system receiving top priority.

“Preserving water resources through the barrage system is our first priority,” he said.

He added that technical teams have already been formed to address various aspects of the project and have begun their work. Government representatives, including advisers and ministry officials, will also visit the project area soon.

According to Azad, the government is determined to make visible progress on the Teesta Master Plan in line with its electoral commitments and development agenda.