Bangladesh Paribesh Andolon (Bapa) yesterday criticised the South Asian nations for not including the issue of trans-boundary river management and Indian River Linking Project (IRLP) in the agenda of Saarc Summit scheduled to be held on November 12 and 13.

They said the management of transboundary rivers should be the first priority in the summit as it is closely linked with the climate, environment, bio-diversity and agriculture of the region.

The Bapa leaders said the silence of Saarc countries on these issues contradicts the aims and objectives of the summit on reducing poverty, combating violence, managing disasters and enhancing regional cooperation.

"We have been demanding cancellation of the IRLP for long and even submitted memorandum to the governments of India and Bangladesh explaining its negative consequences on livelihood, agriculture and ecology, but surprisingly, nothing has happened so far," said Bapa President Prof Muzaffer Ahmed at a press conference at Dhaka Reporters Unity auditorium.

He said all the countries in the region have a wrong concept of using the rivers for commercial purposes, which have led to river pollution, environmental degradation, increased salinity and desertification.

Presenting a paper, Coordinator of Trans-Boundary River Group of Bapa Dr MA Matin said IRLP is the worst culmination of commercial approach of using river as it is based on wrong concept of surplus and deficit river water.

"Saarc loses the right to speak of poverty alleviation when it does not include the issue of IRLP thought to aggravate the poverty status of 400 million people in the vast region of South Asia," he said.

Reduced water flows in the Bangladeshi rivers become critical in the dry season due to diversion of water from the 54 trans-boundary rivers by India, which is likely to worse if 173 billion cubic meters of water is with- drawn through the IRLP, Dr Matin added.

Tipaimukh Dam will induce desertification and increased salinity in Sylhet and Mymensingh region, he said.

Farakka Barrage has already contributed to the drying up of 80 rivers and caused reduction of water flow shrinking the rivers into canals and giving rise to 'chars' and salinity mainly in the southern Bangladesh, said Dr Matin, also joint secretary of Bapa.

Bapa central committee member Dr Badiul Alam Majumder also spoke at the press conference.