Sixty-year-old Asia Begum is planting ground -nut seedlings with her daughter on a lease of someone else's land on the Teesta char in Lalmonirhat. She has lost her home three times due to floods and erosion of the Teesta.
Asia's village Chargukunda is an erosion area, so she did not build a house after losing her last piece of land.
Currently, Asia Begum, who is displaced, lives with her daughter Rahima (30) and two grandchildren in Chargukunda village on the banks of the Teesta.
On Monday, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir inaugurated the two-day program of the 'Jago Bahe, Bachai Teesta' movement at the Char point adjacent to the Teesta Railway Bridge in Rangpur and Lalmonirhat districts. On Tuesday (February 18), the second day of the program, while gathering news on the spot, Barta24.com's staff correspondent spoke to Asia Begum at the Teesta Char. She told this reporter about her long-standing sorrow and misery.
She also said that she is aware of the movement that is going on demanding an agreement with India and the implementation of the master plan for the Teesta River.
Asia Begum is hopeful. She believes that the movement for the speedy implementation of the Teesta master plan will be implemented quickly.
She told Barta24.com, "For the last 15 years, I have been waiting for a dam to be built in my area. I have not seen it again. I have been waiting for my brother-in-law or I will implement the Teesta plan. If we have an aid day, there will be no more river erosion in the future. At least my grandchildren will be able to build a house. There will be no need to build new houses every year. We have gone through this with sadness. May our future generations not suffer this sadness.
Like Asia Begum, people from the 5 districts along the Teesta are also filled with hope. Residents of Rangpur's Kaunia Upazila and Lalmonirhat district's Ghushmarar Char, Char Gukunda, Sarishabari, Haragach, Gatiashan, Teesta Bazar, and Rajar Hat villages who came to the rally said that India floods Rangpur with water during the monsoon season. Again, during the drought season, it dams the water and turns the entire Teesta into a desert. This makes the river navigable. During the monsoon season, rainwater overflows the river and enters homes. If the Teesta Master Plan is implemented, the river water will flow through the river. Dams will be built, industrialization will take place in the northern region. River erosion will be stopped. This will provide employment to many people in this region.
It can be seen on the ground that, responding to the call of Asadul Habib Dulu, the chief coordinator of the Teesta River Protection Committee and the organizing secretary of the BNP's Rangpur division, people of all professions, including women, men, the elderly and students, have joined the 48-hour sit-in program and rally at 11 spots in 5 districts of Rangpur division on the banks of the Teesta. On the second day of the movement, they entered the Teesta water and pleaded loudly, "Where is the river flowing, come on, let's save the Teesta." BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman joined the movement virtually at 11 spots on this day. Speaking as the chief guest at the rally, he said that if BNP comes to power, the Teesta Master Plan will be implemented soon to alleviate the suffering of the people of the northern region. At the same time, diplomatic efforts will be made to implement the Teesta Agreement to understand the correct share of the water of the Teesta river with India.