Teachers, students and river campaigners at Begum Rokeya University in Rangpur demanded on Sunday that every transboundary river in Bangladesh be identified and formally recognised, at a discussion and human chain held for World Rivers Day.

The university's Riverine People Club organised the programme under the theme "No forest, river or water, no life". It was chaired by the club's convenor, Bangla department student Shamsur Rahman Sumon.

Speakers included Bangla professor and Riverine People director Tuhin Wadud, club adviser and AIS associate professor Omar Faruk, Barind Multipurpose Development Authority assistant engineer Fazlul Haque, Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA) Rajshahi coordinator Tanmoy Sanyal and Riverine People's Lalmonirhat coordinator Mosharraf Hossain.

They said all of the country's transboundary rivers must be identified and their status recognised. Everyone present was given a copy of Tuhin Wadud's book on responsibility for protecting rivers.

After the meeting a human chain formed beside the administrative building, followed by a rally, with photographs of the Rangpur division's transboundary rivers on display.

Source: Samakal