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Govt handling of Tipai issue criticised

India must follow int'l rules, says NHRC chief

Staff Correspondent
Green groups yesterday demanded the removal of the Bangladeshi members nominated to the Joint Rivers Commission (JRC), terming them "inexperienced and incapable” of undertaking the responsibility of the proposed Tipaimukh dam project.
At a press conference in the capital, they also demanded the withdrawal of the investment Bangladesh had planned on the project to buy power.
Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (Bapa) and Jatiya Nodi Rokkha Andolon (JNRA) organised the event at Dhaka Reporters Unity.
At a separate programme, the Chairman of National Human Rights Commission, (NHRC) Prof Mizanur Rahman, said the Indian government must follow international laws in building the Tipaimukh Dam, to ensure the safety of Bangladesh's environment.
The concerns came in the context of a meeting between the Bangladeshi members and their Indian counterparts slated on August 27-28 in NewDelhi to study the impact of the Tipaimukhd am project.
At the press conference, Dhaka University teacher Prof Asif Nazrul raised questions about the government's handling of the dam issue.
"TWo members from the Bangladeshi side -- Mir Sazzad Hossain and engineer MA Kashem — have no experience or expertise in handling the issue while the otiters are bureaucrats who do not have independent opinions with regard to placing arguments at the meeting," he mentioned.
Prof Nazrul demanded an explanation as to why noted personalities like climate expert Prof Ainun Nishat and former adviser to the caretaker government Akbar Ali Khan had not been nominated for the committee.
If the government does not want to include eminent experts, the speakers said, it may like to constitute a "neutral committee” comprising foreign experts to assess the impact of the proposed dam project
Meanwhile, the NHRC chief spoke on the issue at a workshop on Universal Periodic Review; Follow-up on the Recommendations on Climate Change and Disaster Management in the capital.
"The Indian government can build Tipaimukh dam in its own interest but it must follow international laws by ensuring the neighbouring country's environmental safety."
Due to geographical location, the possibility of damage caused by natural disasters was acute for Bangladesh "as it is in the downstream while India is in the upstream”, said Prof Mizanur in his welcome speech.
He also said developed countries had to agree to compensate for the affected low-lying countries like Bangladesh as they were responsible for the adverse impacts of climate change.
Talking about the death threats against him, the rights watchdog chairman said, "The threat might have come from the war criminals or from any dishonest business community to hamper the activities of the national