Sstudents of Jahangirnagar University (JU) staged a human chain on Saturday, urging the government to implement the Teesta Master Plan and ensure Bangladesh receives its fair share of Teesta River water.
The demonstration took place around 3:30 PM in front of the university’s main gate (Dairy Gate) on the Dhaka–Aricha Highway.
The event, organized by northern Bangladesh student representatives, was conducted by AFM Kamaluddin Hall Vice-President GM Rayhan Kabir. JU teachers, administration members, JUCSU leaders, and representatives of various student organizations joined the program in solidarity.
Holding banners and placards with slogans like “Where is our river water?”, “Save Teesta, Save the Country”, and “Stop India’s Water Aggression”, the students demanded that the government implement the master plan before the announcement of the next national election schedule in November.
JU Pro Vice-Chancellor (Administration) Professor Sohel Ahmed addressed the gathering, highlighting that India often blocks Teesta’s flow during the dry season and releases excessive water during the monsoon, causing hardship for northern Bangladesh. He stressed that India must respect Bangladesh’s interests and sovereignty.
JUCSU Vice-President Abdur Rashid Zitu criticized successive governments for failing to secure northern Bangladesh from water scarcity and called for immediate action on the Teesta Master Plan, ignoring external pressures.
JCD convener Jahir Uddin Babor accused the previous Hasina government of making Bangladesh subservient to India but reaffirmed that nationalist student organizations remain vigilant defenders of the country’s sovereignty. He also mentioned the ongoing disappearance of student leader Elias Ali, allegedly abducted for protesting India’s interference.
In an audio message, JU Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dr. Kamrul Ahsan warned that unilateral water withdrawal by India is turning the northern region into a desert, affecting over 20 million people. He urged that Bangladesh must receive its rightful 50 percent share of Teesta water immediately.
Present at the event were Dean of the Biological Sciences Faculty Prof. Mafruhi Sattar, JUCSU Joint General Secretary Ferdous Al Hasan, and student leaders from JCD, Islami Chhatra Shibir, and the Bangladesh Democratic Students’ Council.
