Students protest blaming India for flash floods

Students from several public universities today staged demonstrations, rallies, and torch processions blaming India for the flash floods in Bangladesh.

They also demanded fair water-sharing agreements with India.

They said the opening of the Dumbur dam upstream of the Gumti river in Tripura is the reason behind the sudden floods.

The universities include Dhaka University, Jahangirnagar University, Rajshahi University, Islamic University, Barisal University, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Begum Rokeya University, Jessore University of Science and Technology, and Dhaka University of Engineering and Technology, among others.

Meanwhile, India today refuted claims of causing floods in Bangladesh.

The flood situation in eastern Bangladesh has not been caused by the release of waters from an Indian dam on the Gumti river in Tripura, said India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

In DU, students of several educational institutions held a torch procession from the TSC around 7:00pm and marched through various roads on the campus.

During the procession, the students chanted slogans directed at India, including "Bharatiya agrashon rukhe darqao jonogon (People, stand against Indian aggression)," etc.

In JU, a few hundred students, alongside some teachers, organised a torch procession under the banner of Anti-Descrimination Student Movement around 7:30pm. Later, they held a rally at the university Shaheed Minar.

During the procession, students were seen chanting similar slogans as heard in DU.

In RU, several hundred students, alongside teachers from different departments, under the same banner, brought out a procession and staged a rally at the university's main gate at 1:00pm.

Golam Kibria Chowdhury Mishu, coordinator of anti-discrimination student movement, said, "For the past 53 years, Indian government has been torturing Bangladesh in different ways."

Students from Islamic University in Kushtia and Barisal University held processions from their campuses and staged rallies in nearby areas.

JnU students also staged a demonstration early today at the university's main gate.

Students of SUST, Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University, Patuakhali Science and Technology University, Bangladesh University of Textiles, and Dhaka College also brought out protest programmes with similar demands in the last two days.

Besides, a seven-member delegation representing a faction of Gono Odhikar Parishad today submitted a six-point message to the Indian High Commission.

The demands include immediate closure of all dams opened towards Bangladesh within 24 hours.