The Tista River, nearly 240 years old, is linked to several other smaller rivers. Since 2014, the Indian government’s unilateral withdrawal of water from the river by constructing a dam at Gajoldoba has caused an annual water shortage in the Tista basin.
During the dry season, vast stretches of sand are visible along the riverbanks. The water level drops significantly due to the lack of water. In contrast, during the monsoon, the river’s heavy flow puts the Dalia Barrage and surrounding areas at risk, requiring the opening of all 44 sluice gates at the barrage to manage the water. However, even then, managing the floodwaters remains a challenge.
As a result, people living in the five northern districts, including Nilphamari, endure hardship during both dry and rainy seasons. For years, their hope has been the implementation of the Tista Agreement, but repeated attempts have failed. The Tista Mega Project, however, had provided a glimmer of hope. If implemented, this project could alleviate the suffering of millions of people living along the Tista’s banks. The dry season would no longer require dependency on water from India, and the country’s socio-economic situation would improve as well.
It is known that China had shown interest in implementing the Tista Mega Project. If executed, the Tista River area could transform into a beautiful city similar to Suqian in Jiangsu Province, China. The plan involves dredging the river from Dalia Point to its confluence with the Brahmaputra River. The dredged material would be used to fill both banks of the river, creating planned satellite cities like Suqian. The project also includes river dredging, erosion control measures, modern agricultural irrigation systems, fish farming, tourism development, industrial zones, solar power plants, and a range of other infrastructure projects. This would create thousands of jobs for local people.
In 2022, the then-Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh, Li Jiming, visited the Dalia Point of the Tista River in Nilphamari. The people of the Tista banks saw this visit as a sign of hope. However, that visit and the associated plans have yet to materialize. The previous Awami League government had also promised to implement the Tista Mega Project, but due to its political ties with India, no progress has been made. The people of Tista’s banks, having waited long enough, are now frustrated and no longer wish to hear empty promises.
Residents of the Tista Riverbanks express their frustration: "During the rainy season, when there is heavy rainfall, India opens all the sluice gates of the Gajoldoba dam, releasing a huge amount of water into the Tista River. When the pressure becomes too much, the Dalia Point authorities are forced to open all the sluice gates. The floodwaters rush downstream, inundating local areas. Streets, homes, and everything are submerged by the Tista’s waters."
Niamat Ali from Chhoto Khata village in Nilphamari's Dimla Upazila says, "In the dry season, the river turns into a desert. We don’t get water for irrigation. And in the rainy season, all we see is water. The floodwaters wash away our crops, homes, and everything. Our suffering continues throughout the year."
Ziaur Rahman from Munshipara village in Khalish Chapani Union says, "We’ve been hearing about the Tista Agreement for a long time, but it never happened. Then we were told about the Tista Mega Project, which was supposed to prevent floods. But now there’s no news about that either. We, the people of Tista’s banks, are only shown hope, but no real action has been taken. We don’t want to hear any more empty promises. If nothing can be done, don’t promise that something will happen."
Abdul Latif Khan, Chairman of Purba Chatnai Union Parishad, says, "The Tista Mega Project has now become a vital demand for the people of Tista’s banks. The people of this area want the project to be implemented, and they no longer wish to hear empty promises."
Meanwhile, today, February 17 (Monday), the Tista River Protection Movement Committee has launched a 48-hour sit-in protest, demanding their fair share of water from the Tista River and the implementation of the Tista Mega Project. The protest will take place at 11 points along the Tista River basin and will continue until February 18. When asked, the coordinator of the Tista River Protection Movement and BNP’s Rangpur Division Organizational Secretary, Principal Asadul Habib Dulu, told, "For a long time, the people of Lalmonirhat, Kurigram, Nilphamari, Rangpur, and Gaibandha, who live along the Tista River, have suffered from unequal access to water. The people of the northern region have been demanding the Tista Water Agreement from the previous fascist Sheikh Hasina government. However, due to the government’s subservient foreign policy, neither the Tista Water Agreement nor the Tista Mega Project has been implemented. The Indian government asked the Awami League to choose between the Tista Water Agreement or staying in power, and they prioritized staying in power instead."
He further stated, "To relieve the suffering of the people living along the Tista River, the Tista Mega Project must begin as soon as possible. If implemented, it will put an end to the long-standing suffering of the people in Nilphamari, Lalmonirhat, Rangpur, Kurigram, and Gaibandha. Therefore, our 48-hour protest program is demanding our fair share of water and the implementation of the Tista Mega Project."
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