DHAKA, 15 April 2005 — Four northeastern districts of Bangladesh will face the danger of desertification if India goes ahead with planned construction of barrages on the upstreams of three border rivers, experts of the state-run Bangladesh Water Development Board said yesterday.
Moulvibazar, Habiganj, Brahmanbaria and Comilla districts may turn into desert if Bangladesh’s share of water of the three rivers — Monu, Khowai and Gomti — is not ensured by India.
The Indian move may have an immediate adverse effect on the environment, including on farm and other lands in these districts.
The experts, monitoring water level of rivers in these districts said, recently India has completed construction of the barrage over Monu River near Birashimile across the border in Tripura state.
Moulvibazar will be affected enormously if the Monu barrage is formally pressed into operation as planned by India, environmentalists and other experts feared.
India also started work on barrage on Khowai River in Chakmaghat and construction of Gomti River barrage was going on in full swing across the border, informed sources in Moulvibazar district said and drew immediate attention of Bangladesh government on the impending problem.
