BNP’s Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman, addressing a virtual session on the second day of the 48-hour sit-in program titled “Rise Up, Save Teesta,” criticized India’s treatment of Bangladesh over water-sharing issues. He claimed that on August 5, a fugitive killer fled the country and that India prioritizes relations with an autocrat over the people of Bangladesh. Rahman emphasized that equitable water distribution from shared rivers, like Teesta, is not a matter of charity but a rightful claim under international law. He accused India of exhibiting unneighborly behavior by failing to ensure proper water sharing from 54 common rivers.

The event, presided over by the central BNP organizing secretary and Lalmonirhat district BNP president, Asadul Habib Dulu, saw Rahman condemning a previous regime’s concessions to India, saying that while India offered asylum to the fugitive leader, Bangladesh’s citizens gained nothing in return. He urged prioritizing national interest in diplomatic relations and decried human rights violations along the India-Bangladesh border, highlighting the tragic case of Felani.

Rahman warned the interim government to avoid decisions that could rehabilitate the “killer and autocrat’s party” and urged unity among democratic forces to prevent further chaos. He criticized conflicting statements by government advisors regarding national elections, which he claimed pave the way for disruption by mafia groups. He reiterated calls for the government to announce a clear election roadmap.

The sit-in program featured a march from the Teesta Road Bridge to Kaunia Point, a symbolic river-crossing on foot, and cultural performances like Bhawaiya songs. Around 30,000 to 40,000 people participated in the march, led by Asadul Habib Dulu. Demonstrators carried placards to highlight the dire condition of the Teesta River, with many walking across the dried riverbed to symbolize its depletion. The event concluded with traditional games held on the river’s sandbanks, reinforcing the urgency of saving the river.