Dhaka, Aug 21 - Syeda Rizwana Hasan, the interim government's adviser on environment and water resources, announced that Bangladesh will engage in discussions with India on shared rivers, including the Teesta. The government will consider the opinions of people living along the Teesta River as part of this process.

In a press briefing at the Secretariat on Wednesday, Rizwana said, “Just as West Bengal’s Mamata Banerjee considers her people’s interests, we will also prioritize the needs of our people when making decisions about the Teesta project."

She also mentioned that the interim government might seek international intervention if necessary while maintaining friendly relations with India.

Earlier, Rizwana held a meeting with a World Bank delegation, which offered financial and technical support for river conservation in Bangladesh. She also highlighted that a list of the country’s most polluted rivers and polluting entities would be provided by the Department of Environment.

Additionally, Rizwana announced that an operation to ban polythene would commence in September. “While we may not have billions to spend on river protection, we will undertake various small projects to safeguard our rivers,” she added.

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