Photo : Collected

DHAKA, May 15, 2026 (BSS) - The historic Farakka Long March Day will be observed tomorrow. 

On this day in 1976, leader of the toiling masses Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhasani organized a mass rally from Rajshahi to the Kansat border of Chapainawabganj to protest the unilateral withdrawal of Ganges River water by India and raised the demand for water rights of the people of Bangladesh.

After the long march, President Ziaur Rahman's government raised the Ganges water issue at the United Nations. And in its wake, the Ganges Water Sharing Treaty of 1977 was signed. The 30-year Ganges Water Sharing Treaty signed in 1996 will expire in December this year.

Leaders of the International Farakka Committee (IFC) said in a joint statement today that this year's observance would focus on addressing shortcomings in the existing agreement and building public pressure for its renewal with necessary amendments or the signing of a new agreement before December.

Marking the day, BNP will organize a discussion at the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh (IEB) auditorium at 11am tomorrow.

BNP Secretary General and LGRD and Cooperatives Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir will address it as the chief guest while BNP Standing Committee members, along with distinguished intellectuals of the country, will deliver speeches.