BANGLADESH

Jatiya Party chairman Hussein Muhammad Ershad on Monday accused India of illegally taking control of water of the common river Feni.

Just before starting a road march towards Feni district, Ershad also urged all to protest against such Indian move by rising above narrow partisan views.

"The Feni river is ours. No other (country) has right to this river," Ershad, a key ally of the ruling Awami League, told a street rally in the city's Banani Model Town.

A motorcade of around 250 vehicles started for Feni around 9:30am.

"There has been a plot to turn Feni, Mirsarai of Chittagong, Fatikchharhi, Khagrachharhi, Ramgarh, Noakhali and Comilla into deserts," Ershad said.

The river Feni was recognised as a common river in 2005 at a meeting of the Joint River Commission (JRC) in Dhaka.

The river originates in Tripura and makes a common border of 87 kilometres with Bangladesh. After travelling about 90 kilometres in Tripura, it flows into Bangladesh.

The controversy over the river's share of water remains unsolved for long allegedly because of India's reluctance to strike a deal with Bangladesh.

Being a border river with one side of the banks in India and the other in Bangladesh, no activity is allowed in 150 yards from the centre of the river.

But allegations have it that India is lifting water from the river violating rules and taking advantage of no agreement to equally use the water of the river.

MEETING WITH PM

In reply to a query on a meeting with prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday night, he said, "We have talked about election issues."

He said the discussion with the premier was fruitful but would not elaborate.

The deposed military dictator is scheduled to address seven street rallies during the march and a gathering at Government Pilot High School ground in Feni in the afternoon, his information and political affairs secretary Sunil Shuvo Roy told .

Earlier, the party had marched towards Sylhet on Dec 10-11 protesting against India's move to build a dam at Tipaimukh on the Barak River and to Nilphamari on Jan 17-18 demanding just share of water of the Teesta River.