Dhaka, Oct 31: Bangladesh has threatened to approach the International Court of Justice at The Hague if India goes ahead with the river-linking project unilaterally. "Bangladesh would go to international court if India takes unilateral decision(on river link project) without consulting us for the river-linking project", Water Resources Minister Hafizuddin Ahmed was today quoted as saying by vernacular daily 'ittefak'.

According to BSS news agency, Ahmed said "Bangladesh is ready to face the frightening situation that might be created by the proposed Indian project for inter-linking international rivers." Hafizuddin said Bangladesh had already raised the "adverse consequences of river-linking" with India at the last meeting of Joint River Commission held in Delhi.

He was speaking at a meeting to evaluate development activities development activities of his ministry here yesterday.

India's outgoing High Commissioner Mani Lal Tripathy last week had said "it would have been helpful if Dhaka first ascertained the facts before lodging protests on the basis of press reports" regarding the project.

Bureau Report