Mirza Fakhrul Blames Former Awami Govt for Depriving People of Fair Share of Water

On the occasion of ‘Farakka Day’, BNP Secretary General and Local Government Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has criticized the previous Awami League government for failing to secure Bangladesh's rightful share of water from common rivers.

In a message released on Friday, Mirza Fakhrul described the Farakka Barrage as a "death trap" for Bangladesh. He claimed that the former Awami League government’s decision to allow India to open the barrage experimentally has led to long-term deprivation for the people.

Commemorating the historic long march led by Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhasani 49 years ago, Fakhrul noted that the unilateral withdrawal of water from 54 transboundary rivers is pushing Northern Bangladesh toward desertification. He argued that international laws are being ignored, and the continued construction of dams upstream poses an existential threat to the nation. The Minister concluded by stating that the significance of May 16 remains more relevant than ever in the struggle for water rights.