Dhaka: Jatiya Sangsad Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, Bir Bikram, expressed strong criticism today, describing the Tipaimukh Dam on the Barak River in Manipur, India, as a 'disaster' initiated by Bangladesh itself. The Speaker highlighted that the dam, proposed as a 1,500 MW hydroelectric project, was introduced by India at the request of Bangladesh's then Foreign Minister Abdus Samad Azad.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the Speaker made these remarks during a question-answer session in the Jatiya Sangsad. Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Minister Abdul Awal Mintoo was addressing a query raised by treasury bench lawmaker Abdul Malique of Sylhet-3 concerning the adverse impact of the Tipaimukh Dam on the northeastern district of Sylhet. The Speaker, referencing his own experience as a former Water Resources Minister, underscored that Bangladesh's request to India led to the current predicament.
The controversial Tipaimukh Dam project, initiated by India in 2003, aims to generate electricity but faced significant backlash due to concerns over potential environmental degradation. The construction was halted temporarily due to both national and international resistance but resumed in late 2008. Subsequent joint declarations made after summits between the leaders of Bangladesh and India in 2010 and 2011 saw Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh assuring Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina that India would avoid actions that could harm Bangladesh concerning the dam.
The Tipaimukh Dam's location is near the confluence of the Barak and Tuivai rivers in the Tipaimukh sub-division of the Churachandpur district of Manipur, involving the states of Manipur, Mizoram, and Assam. The Barak River, which flows downstream to merge with the Surma river system in Bangladesh, is a crucial water source for the Sylhet region.