IFC Bangladesh to Observe Farakka Long March Day on May 16

The International Farakka Committee (IFC) Bangladesh Chapter has announced plans to observe Farakka Long March Day on May 16 with due solemnity and significance, reaffirming its commitment to raising awareness about the historic event and its continued relevance to the nation’s water rights.

The decision was finalized during a meeting of the IFC Bangladesh Chapter held on Saturday at the National Press Club in Dhaka. The session was presided over by the committee's president, Mustafa Kamal Majumder.

Prominent figures of the committee, including Chief Advisor Professor Jasim Uddin Ahmad, Advisors Saiful Haque and Elahi Newaz Khan, General Secretary Syed Mahmudul Hasan Mukut, Organizing Secretary Ataur Rahman Ata, Joint General Secretary Rafiqul Islam Azad, Publicity Secretary Jamal Uddin Jamal, members Sadrul Hasan, Kazi Mustafa Kamal, and Abu Sayeed Shahin attended the meeting.

The participants emphasized the importance of commemorating the historic Long March led by the late Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani in 1976, which was a landmark protest demanding the removal of the Farakka Barrage constructed by India. The barrage, built across the Ganges River, has been a long-standing concern for Bangladesh due to its impact on the flow of water into the country, particularly during the dry season.

Speakers at the meeting noted that the Farakka Long March remains a powerful symbol of Bangladesh’s struggle for fair water-sharing agreements and regional environmental justice. They stressed that observing the day each year serves as a reminder of the need for continued vigilance and advocacy on transboundary water issues that affect millions of lives in Bangladesh.