IFC leaders urged the government, through their statement, to approve and implement the present Teesta Project and at the same time include the original Teesta Basin under its coverage to ensure overall development of the Northwestern region of the country. "Dead river"They said the Teesta in Bangladesh has practically turned into a dead river because of excessive siltation after being deprived of its natural flow for decades. Despite continuous assurances the Bangladesh part of the river continues to be deprived of water in the dry season. If this is done the command area of the project will cover 28,000 square kilometres as against the present 4,000 square kilometres. If the rivers get back their navigability, cheap water communication will promote the development of industries including agro-based industries.

Source: Dhaka Tribune September 26, 2020 16:30 UTC