Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said her government will not give consent to anything detrimental to the country's interest in relation to Tipaimukh Dam construction in India.

She made the remark when the parliamentary delegation that had recently visited the proposed dam site met her in the Prime Ministers' Office on Thursday. The delegation led by Awami League (AL) lawmaker Abdur Razzaq informed her about the outcome of their visit, submitting a report.

"We will not do or support anything detrimental to the country' s interest in relation to Tipaimukh Dam. Our prime task will be to protect the country's interest at any cost," AL lawmaker Abdur Rahman, a delegation mem-

ber, quoted Hasina to The Daily Star.

Directing the authorities concerned to form a high-powered technical committee immediately, the premier said the committee will analyse the data provided by India about the proposed dam, to assess its possible environmental and socioeconomic impacts on Bangladesh.

The committee will also study whether Bangladesh will need further information regarding the matter, she added saying it will be comprised of representatives from the water resources ministry, Joint River Coininissiun (JRC), and Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology.

She said every environmental aspect of the proposed hydroelectric dam including water

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flow in the Barak and other rivers, and the possibilities of floods and droughts will be examined and analysed by experts, and the resuJu^ill be provided to JRC.

"If anything harmful for Bangladesh is found through the studies, there will be talks with the Indian government to settle the issues," the prime minister was quoted as saying by her Press Secretary Abut Kal am Azad.

Razzaq, also chairman of the Parliamentary’ Standing Committee on Water Resources, informed Hasina that the Indian authorities provided them with all required data.

The Indian side also assured the delegation of providing additional informa-tion in the future, if Bangladesh wants. "Besides, talks between Bangladesh and India on the issue will continue," Razzaq added.

Rahman said they informed the prime minister that they saw no structure constructed at Tipaimukh site as the project is still at the initial level.

He said the Indian authorities told them that no irrigation project is planned supplementing the dam.

Other members of the delegation including Jatiya Party lawmaker Ruhul Amin Hawlader, AL lawmakers Fazlul Haque and Anwarul Haque, and independent lawmaker Fazlul Azim were also present at the meeting.