North Bangladesh people want to see China’s Suqian City on banks Teesta

Dhaka: Teesta is one of the 54 rivers that enter Bangladesh from India. After originating from Solamo Lake in India, it flows over Sikkim and West Bengal and enters Bangladesh through Rangpur region.
Later it joins the Brahmaputra river near Chilmari in Kurigram district. For many years there has been a demand for a Teesta agreement on the sharing of Teesta water. But the agreement is stuck due to India’s delay and various excuses. Because of this, the people of the northern part of Rangpur Bangladesh are now dreaming about the Teesta Master Plan.
The Teesta Agreement was to be signed during the then Prime Minister of India Manmohan Singh’s visit to Dhaka in 2011. But it stalled in the face of opposition from West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Then in 2015 Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Bangladesh with Mamata Banerjee. There he assured that a compromise would be reached on Teesta water sharing. But the Teesta problem has remained unresolved.
During the last Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to India, there was a possibility of reaching a settlement on Teesta water distribution, but it did not happen.
In addition to the construction of various infrastructure related to Teesta coast management, flood control dams and various types of infrastructure will be built to eliminate water shortage during summer. Since Bangladesh has a long-standing dispute with India over Teesta water sharing, arrangements will be made to retain water during the dry season. Among the issues that have dominated the project so far, three are important—dredging the riverbed, revetment or embankment repair and embankment, and land reclamation. Apart from this, there are also plans to repair flood dams.
If this project named ‘Teesta a River Comprehensive Management and Restoration’ is implemented, a 220 km high guide dam, river drive, hotel-motel-restaurant, modern city and tourist center will be developed along both the right and left banks of the Teesta river. Along with that, 150 MW solar power plant, industrial plant, EPZ will be built.
Apart from this, several lakh hectares of agricultural land will be saved and afforested. Under this project, the main stream of Teesta will be two kilometers, which will maintain navigability throughout the year. It will be connected by several canals, which will benefit crores of people of Teestapar. It is said that the two banks of the Teesta will be modernized on the model of China’s Huang Ho River and Suqian City through the master plan. There will be Marine Drive on both sides of the embankment. Modern irrigation projects and agricultural farms with machinery will be built. At the same time satellite cities will be built on both banks of the river.
The two banks of the Teesta will be developed on the model of Suqian City in East China’s Jiangsu Province. For this, approximately 9 thousand crore taka can be spent. The project is named Teesta River Comprehensive Management and Restoration’. Since then, days go by, months go by, years go by and years come. However, the much-desired great plan has not started.
Chinese Ambassador Li Jiming visited the Teesta Barrage on Sunday.
At this time, he listened to the hopes and aspirations of the people of the area. A large number of local people, civil society and administrative people were present. (UNI)                                                                             (Teesta map credit–Google SK Telecom)