Thursday
17 July, 2025
News Flash
News Flash
RANGPUR, July 16, 2025 (BSS) – Adviser to the Ministry of Water Resources and Environment, Forest and Climate Change Syeda Rizwana Hasan has said martyrs like Abu Sayeed are our daily inspiration.
"The ideals for which martyr Abu Sayeed and his comrades laid down lives should not only be remembered, but should be our inspiration. Young generation should dedicate themselves to the country’s welfare on the path of humanity, courage and justice," she said.
She said this at a discussion organized at the Independence Memorial Square of Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur (BRUR) to mark the first martyrdom anniversary of Abu Sayeed and the occasion of 'July Martyrs' Day-2025' today as guest of honour.
The Adviser said that martyred Abu Sayeed showed courage in the face of fear. His death was the beginning of a revolution, which reminds us—change requires not only protest, but also social resistance.
Our forces shoot people in the chest on the fascist regime’s order. They do not shoot land grabbers or stone traders in the chest. They do not take action against the wicked and bribe-takers. That is where they have a connection.
“When the criminals appear wearing helmets and attack innocent students, our forces are not allocated bullets. Bullets are allocated for innocent people,” she said.
The Adviser said, “I am saying that those who should be confronted with the legal system, those who are a threat to law, order and peace. But our society has never developed a system of resistance against them.”
“When those good people resist and go to the law and order forces, the forces protect those wicked people instead of protecting the righteous people,” she regretted.
She said, "Martyrs like Abu Sayeed, Yamin and Mugdho were the vanguards in breaking the culture of fear and overthrowing fascism. Crime will be eradicated in future by building anti-discriminatory society and establishing justice."
Regarding the Teesta Master Plan, Rizwana said there can be a lot of talks about who will pay for the project.
“A very severely erosion-prone, rapid-flowing and shared river like Teesta, where we are downstream, demands a lot of excellence in terms of management and technology,” she said.
Therefore, when an agreement reached with the Chinese government during the previous regime, their plan was put on the shelf.
“We took it out. We worked on it,” she said.
The Adviser said, the project will be implemented in this area at a cost of TK 12000 crore.
“The government will give money and the Chinese government will also give money. It is a 10-year plan. In five years of this, irrigation, erosion control and permanent embankments will be given priority,” she said.
Rizwana Hasan said, “We have sent the plan to the planning commission. The Planning Commission sent the draft of this Teesta project to the Economic Relations Division (ERD) with a no-objection on their behalf on Tuesday.”
“The ERD has also sent it to China. Now the experts will design it. We hope to be able to finalize this agreement by December this year. Work will start next year. Our project document states that work will start in January 2026,” she said.
With BRUR Vice-chancellor Professor Dr Md Showkat Ali in the chair, Md Mokbul Hossain, father of shaheed Abu Sayeed, attended the discussion as chief guest.
Relatives, including widows, wives and parents of the 22 families of the martyrs of Rangpur district, were present as special guests.
Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs and Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Adviser Professor Dr Asif Nazrul attended the event as guest of honour.
UGC Chairman Professor Dr SMA Faiz, its member Professor Dr Tanzimuddin Khan and Senior Secretary to the Ministry of Education Siddique Jobayer were also present as guests of honour.
