Speakers at a dialogue here yesterday
stressed immediate implementation
of the proposed North Rajshahi Irrigation
Project (NRIP) to use surface water
to reduce the massive use of underground
water by the Barind Multipurpose
Development Authority (BMDA) in
Rajshahi region. They also criticised
the government patronisation of
the Barind project which, they claimed,
was affecting the region's environment
and also exploiting the marginal
farmers. They called for an impartial
evaluation of the project.
The speakers also noted that the
government recently allocated Tk
750 crore to expand the Barind project
while the Tk 400 crore NRIP could
not be launched for fund crisis. These
views were expressed at the second
session of the regional consultation
of the National Policy Review Forum
2003 on 'Environment Policy' held
at the Parjatan Motel auditorium. Former
vice-chancellor of Rajshahi University
(RU) Dr Saidur Rahman Khan was chief
guest at the dialogue, co-organised
by the Centre for Policy Dialogue
(CPD), The Daily Star and the Prothom
Alo.
Experts from the RU, farmers' leaders
of the Barind region and NGO workers
spoke at the dialogue, chaired by
Prof. Mushfik Ahmed of geology and
mining department at the RU. Prof.
AK Enamul Haque of economics department
at the North South University presented
a draft taskforce report on environment
policy at the session. Convenor
of Rajshahi Nagorik Committee Golam
Arif Tipu was present as special
guest. Quoting experts' reports,
President of Rajshahi Protection
Movement Parishad Zamat Khan said
use of surface water has become
a must to check desertification
of Rajshahi region. He claimed that
the Barind project virtually aimed
at exploiting marginal farmers using
political influence. "Brother
of an influential minister in the
BNP government has been controlling
the project, which is affecting
the Barind people through abuse
of water," he said.
Workers Party leader Fazle Hossain
Badsha said, " The Barind project
has become a curse for people of
the region in two ways -- first,
their socio-economic condition has
deteriorated sharply as they are
to pay higher prices for ground
water and second, massive use of
groundwater has severely affected
the ecology." Farmers' leader
from Tanore upazila Lutfar Rahman
said too much use of arsenic- and
iron-contaminated groundwater and
pesticides is destroying fertility
of land in the Barind region.
RU, said the Barind project does
not follow the principles of sustainable
development and it affects environment. Prof.
Shamsul Alam of the Bangladesh Institute
of Technology, Chittagong, suggested
legal action against people destroying
environment of the region. Prof.
Enamul Haque said the government
is yet to take effective steps to
combat arsenic contamination although
water from about 27 per cent of
tube-wells in the country is arsenic-contaminated
and around 2.8 crore people suffer
from arsenic-related diseases.
Prof. Hasan Imam of the RU emphasised
formulating a fresh policy after
extensive research on Barind land. Prof.
Saidur Rahman Khan stressed strict
enforcement of the environmental
laws. He also called for a united
movement against the Barind project
as it failed to benefit people of
the region. Editor of the Prothom
Alo Motiur Rahman thanked the participants
at the discussion.
