Former Bangla Prez urges Teesta water sharing

Former Bangladesh President and chairman of Jatiyo Party, Hussain Mohammad Ershad wants the Teesta water sharing as early as possible for the greater interest of Bangladeshi peasants. He came to Dinhata in Cooch Behar at his ancestral residence on 8 December. This morning he visited a Home for destitute girls named Shahid Bandana Smriti Mahila Aabas and a blind school in Cooch Behar and left for Malbazar in Dooars.

During talks with media persons at Dinhata last night, Ershad said that sometime ago he sent a CD of songs composed by him to the Chief Minister of West Bengal. From that CD he recited : "Teesta tomar booker pare /  Gorur garir chaka ghore" ( Oh Teesta! Wheels of bullock carts are whirling on your chest these days.) It means the Teesta is so dry that bullock carts ply on its bed. He hoped that the CM may have listened that CD. 16 crore people of Bangladesh want sharing of Teesta water. He recalled that his residence at Rangpur (now in Bangladesh) was by the side of Teesta and his grandfather was also lived there. He did swimming in Teesta in those days but now there is no water there, sighed the ex-army chief of Bangladesh.

Ershad said Bangladesh opened its borders from North to South to India following the agreement among four neighbouring countries. But several thousand acres of land are being lying unused without any cultivation due to scarcity of water. In 2012, when the former Prime Minister of India, Manmohan Singh visited Bangladesh the people of Bangladesh expected West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee with him. But as she failed to appear the people of Bangladesh turned hopeless as they saw no light toward sharing of Teesta water. The farmers of Bangladesh are suffering from misery, Ershad said.

The former BD President mentioned that the historic exchange of enclaves was possible due to initiative of two Prime Ministers, Narendra Modi and Sheikh Hasina. For this he thanked them. At the same time he hoped that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee may also feel the pain of Bangladeshi people who are suffering due to lack of adequate water of Teesta.