Water Resources Minister Md Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Anee spoke at the JS session today. Photo: Video screenshot

SANGSAD BHABAN, April 19, 2026 (BSS) – Water Resources Minister Md Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Anee today said that the present government must implement the Teesta Master Plan in line with the pledge made Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. 

“The government will implement the Teesta Master Plan in line with the commitment of the Prime Minister as well as the electoral manifesto made by the ruling BNP,” he said. 

He came up with this assurance while opposition lawmaker Mahbubul Alam of Kurigram-3 brought an urgent public important notice under section 71 of the rules of procedure at the Jatiya Sangsad with Deputy Speaker Barrister Kayser Kamal in the chair.

The government must implement the project for the necessity of the country and also for the welfare of 50 lakh people of the northern region, he said, adding, “But we have to take time and it is necessary for us before implementing the project.”

The minister said Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) has already conducted feasibility study for implementing the Teesta Master Plan project.

Even the government also has prepared preliminary development project proposal (PDPP) in light of the feasibility study aiming at examining the financial and technical aspects of the project and it is now under process, the minister told the parliament.

Based on the PDPP, Anee said the government will take the decision to implement the project after reviewing the technical aspects.

He said it would be possible to stop the river bank erosion through the implementation of the plan.

Agricultural land, houses, educational institutions, mosques and other infrastructures would be protected.

 The life and livelihood of nearly two crore people would be saved and agriculture, fisheries and economic activities would be revived, the minister added.

Through the implementation of Teesta Master Plan, it would be possible to revive the biodiversity, he said, adding that small industries would be set up and tourism facilities would be expanded and thus a new economic emergence would take place centering the Teesta.

Replying to a supplementary question, he said that Bangladesh has been facing serious crisis centering Teesta due to absolute Indian control on its flows and their water management. But the master plan is absolutely an issue of Bangladesh and the Chinese government has already expressed their interest to implement the project, he said, adding that nearly Taka 12,000 crore is needed to implement the master plan and the project can be implemented if the government takes a decisive decision in this regard.