BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir today categorically said that India must provide due share of Teesta water if it wants to be friends of the people of Bangladesh. 
 
“India must stop border killings and behaving like a big brother towards us...We want to stand on our own feet and get our due share of Teesta water…Of course, we want to see India as a friend and that friendship will be based on mutual respect and by paying dues,” he said.
 
The BNP Secretary General was addressing as the chief guest at a rally styled “Teesta River Protection Movement” at the Teesta Rail Bridge point in Lalmonirhat Sadar upazila demanding fair share of Teesta water and implementation of the Teesta Mega Plan on Monday.
 
The Teesta River Protection Movement organised the rally as part of the 48-hour continuous programmes with the slogan “Jago Bahe Teesta Banchai” simultaneously at 11 points in five districts on the Teesta river bank. Chief Coordinator of the Teesta River Protection Movement and Organizing Secretary (Rangpur division) of the BNP Central Executive Committee and former Deputy Minister Principal Asadul Habib Dulu chaired the function.
 
Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said India is not providing due share of Teesta water and on the other hand, it is giving shelter our enemy allowing her to stay like a “king” in New Delhi from where she has been issuing different types of orders.
 
The BNP Secretary General said, “The today’s struggle is the struggle of our life and death. We will never allow this struggle to stop without winning it for the sake of our people in the region.” He told the interim government, “You (interim government) talk about neutrality. But, you can’t stay here neutral. You have to open your mouth here. You have to tell India that we want a fair share of our water.”
 
“We have always talked about the Teesta water. During the Pakistani era, Pakistan said it. When Bangladesh emerges, Bangladesh continued telling the same,” he added.
 
When the Awami League came to power, everyone thought that India as a friend of Awami League will make Teesta water available for our people. “But, on contrary, Awami League used to sell Bangladesh in the last 15 years, But it has not been able to bring a single drop of the Teesta water,” he added.
 
The BNP Secretary General said, “Not only Teesta, India has constructed dams in the upstream of all 54 common international rivers obstructing normal flow of waters in the downstream... India takes away our water and generates electricity.” Besides, he said, “The people of our country cannot grow paddy and crops here, the fishermen cannot catch fish. They are deprived of their livelihoods. Everyone is going through these troubles.” 
 
Laying emphasis on holding election soon for establishing peace, the BNP Secretary General said sometimes they say that “we only talk, vote and vote. The reason for voting is to elect leaders. How will the people’s representatives be elected without voting?”