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China, India Urged to Consider BD’s Interests in Dam Projects
Says Environment Adviser
Environment Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan stated today (27 January) that Bangladesh will request China and India to ensure that the construction of dams on the Siang River in Arunachal Pradesh and near the Tibet border does not harm Bangladesh’s interests.
"We have formally sought information from China about their hydropower project near Tibet. They assured us that lower riparian countries will not be adversely affected. However, we are seeking further data through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs," she said, responding to questions after a board meeting at the River Research Institute in Dhaka.
Rizwana raised concerns about the already reduced water flow in the Padma and Teesta rivers and warned that any further reduction in the Brahmaputra's flow would severely challenge Bangladesh's riverine ecosystem.
She also outlined directives given to the River Research Institute, including efforts to monitor pollution levels in industrial zones and identify contamination hotspots in major rivers around Dhaka. "This approach aims to reduce reliance on external funding for addressing river pollution. The institute has also been tasked with assessing the ecological impacts of sand extraction from rivers," she added.
Present at the meeting were River Research Institute Director General SM Abu Huraira, Water Development Board Director General Tahmidul Islam, Shipping Ministry Secretary Mohammad Yusuf, and Faridpur Deputy Commissioner Kamrul Hasan Molla.
Recently, China approved the construction of the world’s largest dam on the Yarlung Zangbo River in Tibet’s Medog County, near the border with India. In response, India has been exploring plans to build a counter-dam to mitigate potential disruptions caused by China’s project.