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Published : 20 Oct 2025, 10:47 PM
As part of the ongoing movement to implement the Teesta Master Plan, the Rangpur Division is set for a symbolic pause on Oct 30, when all activity will stop for 15 minutes.
From 11am, shops will shut, vehicles will stop on the roads, classes will halt, and offices will briefly suspend work -- all in a coordinated act of solidarity to save the Teesta River.
This unique protest is the latest in a series of programmes held across northern districts, where residents have been pressing for government action to restore and protect the vital river.
"This 15-minute silence is not really silence," said Asadul Habib Dulu, chief coordinator of the Teesta River Protection Movement. "It is the roar of millions, sending a clear message -- if Teesta lives, the north survives; if Teesta lives, Bangladesh survives."
Asadul warned that unless the government begins work on the plan before the election, residents along the riverbanks will be compelled to launch a larger movement.
He described how deeply livelihoods in the region are intertwined with the river. "Without implementation of the plan, northern Bangladesh will turn into a desert," he said.
Protests have gained momentum in recent months. In February, sit-ins were held at 11 points along the river.
In early October, demonstrators organised “mass” processions and submitted memorandums.
Most recently, on Oct 16, torches were lit along a 105km stretch on both banks of the river.
This new protest is part of that same campaign, reflecting what organisers describe as growing desperation and unity across northern districts.
Azizul Islam, a farmer from Mahishkhocha in Lalmonirhat's Aditmari Upazila, said: "When the Teesta dries up, our fields become deserts. Saving Teesta means saving the future of our children."
