B'desh for joint study on cross-border dam in India

Last Updated: Friday, December 09, 2011, 22:14

Tags: Bangladesh, Dhaka, India

Dhaka: Bangladesh on Friday sought a comprehensive joint study with India on a proposed cross-border dam to assess the "negative and positive impacts" of the hydropower project in Manipur.

"The present government has all along been very alert and sensitive on the issue of the proposed Tipaimukh dam on the Barak River in the Indian State of Manipur," said a foreign office statement.

"There should be a comprehensive study of the adverse impacts of as well as benefits to be accrued to Bangladesh from the project," it said.

The statement also noted that despite being an issue of prime concern the past BNP-led regime took no step to raise Dhaka's concern to India and the joint statements issued during incumbent opposition leader and ex-premier' Khaleda Zia's 1992 and 2006 New Delhi visit had no mention of the issue.

"On the contrary, the Leader of the Opposition visited India twice as the Prime Minister in 1992 and 2006, but neither the Joint Communique issued on 28 May 1992 nor the Joint Press Statement issued on March 23, 2006 reflects any concern of Bangladesh on the Tipaimukh dam," it said.

It acknowledged the "written Indian assurance" and repeated assurances by New Delhi including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's promises of doing nothing affecting Bangladesh in implementing the project but stick to its call for a joint survey.

A foreign office spokesman said that the statement actually was issued to remove any confusion in public mind as the controversies over the issue and negate impacts of misleading campaigns in public mind.

The statement came a week after New Delhi issued a statement on the issue after two advisers to Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina visited the Indian capital and met Singh to convey Dhaka's persisting concern centering the project.

The long statement in chronological order described in details the developments centring the project saying the incumbent government "raised its concerns and vigorously pursued with the New Delhi for safeguarding the interests of Bangladesh with regard to the possible adverse impact of the proposed project."

PTI

First Published: Friday, December 09, 2011, 22:14