Netrakona, Oct11 (V7N)- A dialogue focusing on the expectations and concerns of the people of Netrakona regarding the inter-border river was held at the District Press Club Auditorium on Thursday morning. The event, titled "Inter-Border River: Expectations of Netrakona Residents," was organized by the non-governmental development organization Barsik in collaboration with the District Haor Bachao Andolan .

The session was presided over by Haider Jahan Chowdhury , a senior journalist and former Vice-President of the Press Club, who also serves as an advisor for the District Haor Bachao Movement . The program highlighted the multifaceted issues and potentials linked to the management of the inter-border rivers that flow between Bangladesh and India.

Prominent figures from various professions participated in the dialogue, including Md. Anwar Hossain , Principal of Chandranath Degree College, Shyamlendu Pal , senior journalist and adviser of Haor Bachao Andolan, and Mahbubul Kibria Chowdhury Helim , member secretary of the Press Club. Other speakers included environmentalist Sohrab Hossain Akand , Barsik Director Pavel Parth , and Alpana Begum , secretary of the Netrakona Wildlife Protection Committee.

The dialogue focused on concerns over India's unilateral water management , where damming the inter-border rivers has deprived Bangladesh of its fair share of water. Meanwhile, the speakers also raised concerns about India’s excessive release of water during monsoon seasons, which leads to flooding and erosion in Bangladesh. This has not only affected agriculture but also exacerbated erosion in haor areas and other river plains, posing a threat to both wildlife and human settlements.

The speakers urged the current interim government to take urgent and necessary steps to address the water-sharing disputes with India. They called for bilateral agreements that ensure the fair distribution of water resources, taking into consideration the needs of Bangladesh's farming communities and ecological balance.

The event concluded with a consensus that protecting Bangladesh's water rights and the well-being of its people requires immediate diplomatic attention.

END/AT/AJ