No compromise on Padma's fair share of water, long march again if needed: Akhtar Hossain

National Citizen Party (NCP) Member Secretary and Member of Parliament Akhtar Hossain has warned that there will be no compromise of any kind on securing Bangladesh's fair share of Padma river water. He said the Padma's water is not just water — it is a question of the very existence of the people of Bangladesh, and there will be no concession on a question of existence.

He made the remarks as chief guest at a street rally of the party in Katakhali, Rajshahi, on Saturday night. Katakhali Poura NCP organised the rally.

Akhtar Hossain said that if needed, there would not be a moment's delay in joining a long march programme like Maulana Bhashani's to secure the Padma's water.

He said the ancestors of Rajshahi had taken part in Maulana Bhashani's Farakka Long March. That long march has become relevant again, he said, because the Ganges water-sharing treaty expires this coming December. The people of Bangladesh will not give an inch on the Padma's water, he added.

Describing the impact of the Farakka Barrage, Akhtar Hossain said the amount of water that used to flow in the Padma before Farakka fell to half after Farakka was built. The people of Bangladesh have been deprived as a result, he said.

He said that in the dry season, no water is found in any of the Padma's tributaries and distributaries. In the Khulna region, saline water from the sea is moving upstream because there is no water in the Padma's branches. He warned that the design to destroy Bangladesh's agriculture and deprive its people of their rights would not be allowed to succeed.

The NCP leader also spoke about the caretaker government system at the rally. Criticising the government, he said the BNP government had schemed over the caretaker government just as before. People must remain alert about the scheme the BNP has hatched over the new formula for this caretaker government, he said.

Akhtar Hossain added that if the BNP thinks it can capture the caretaker government and move against the people of Bangladesh, the people of the country will not give it that opportunity.

Imran Imon, organising secretary of the NCP's Rajshahi division, spoke at the rally as the main speaker. Among the special guests were district NCP convener M A Sabur, member secretary Nahidul Islam Saju and metropolitan convener Mobashwer Ali.

Katakhali Poura NCP convener Masudul Islam presided over the rally, which was conducted by member secretary Shafiqul Islam Sajib.