Photo: BSS

PANCHAGARH, July 10, 2026 (BSS) - State Minister for Water Resources Forhad Hossain Azad today said the BNP government has already begun work to implement the Teesta Master Plan, accusing Jamaat-e-Islami and an alliance of 11 parties of launching protests to claim credit for the initiative.

"BNP believes in action, not rhetoric. The era of stunt politics over the Teesta issue is coming to an end in Bangladesh," Azad told reporters after inaugurating the foundation stone-laying ceremony of the under-construction "Panchagarh Gate" at the Panchagarh-Nilphamari border here.

The Tk 30 lakh project is being implemented under the Panchagarh District Council's overall planning and supervision as part of the Annual Development Programme (ADP) for the 2024-25 fiscal year.

Describing the Teesta Master Plan as a key component of the BNP government's executive manifesto, the state minister said the government is actively working to fulfill that commitment.

"At a time when the government has begun implementing the Teesta Master Plan, Jamaat and the 11-party alliance have taken to the streets in an attempt to take credit for the initiative," he said.

Azad claimed that those now leading protests had neither a vision nor a plan for the Teesta when the BNP first began working on the issue.

The state minister added that implementation of the Teesta Master Plan would begin soon and that the government remains firmly committed to carrying it forward.

Speaking about the Panchagarh Gate project, Azad said the structure is being built in response to a long-standing demand from local residents and will reflect the district's history, heritage, and unique identity.

"Once completed, the gate will serve as an aesthetic landmark at the entrance to the district and further enhance Panchagarh's identity," he said.

Debiganj Upazila Nirbahi Officer Indrajit Saha, Panchagarh Zila Parishad Chief Executive Officer Anjan Kumar Sarkar, and local BNP leaders and activists were present.