THE ACTIVITIES OF INTERNATIONAL
FARAKKA COMMITTEE

The activities of the International Farakka Committee since 1993 are as follows:

go to end

2005 April 01	IFC Secretary General Sayed Tipu Sultan visited India and met Mr. Jyoti Basu, The former Chief Minister of West Bengal, India at CPIM(M) Central Office, Kolkata, West Bengal, India and presented him the book on "National Documentation on Arsenic & Farakka ". See picture
2005 March 27	IFC Chairman Mr. Atiqur Rahman Yusufzai Salu and Secretary General Sayed Tipu Sultan visited China and met Mr. Yao Jing, The Director, Asian Desk, Foreign Ministry of China and Dr. Chen Jiwei, The Director, Asian Desk, Water Resource Ministry of China and presented them the publications of the International Farakka Committee. See picture
2005 March 04	n protest against 'Indian River Inter-link Project', the International Farakka Committee (IFC), N.Y ., along with IFC Bangladesh National Committee (IFC-BD) and IFC North American Committee for Long March, have organized a successful Long March 2005. Go to picture It has started from the premises of ‘Bangladesh National Press Club’ on 3 March 2005 and gathered together more than 5,00,000 people. At the end of which held a Grand Rally on the morning of 4 March 2005 at the Chilmari Bandar, Kurigram district, Rangpur, Bangladesh.
2005 March 01	A press conference was held at the Conference Hall, National Press Club, Dhaka, on the progress and preparation of the Long March 2005. A publication ceremony on the book "Indian River Link Project: A Threat to Existence of Bangladesh" edited by Prof. Dr. Jasim Uddin Ahmad, published by International Farakka Committee was held at the Conference Hall, National Press Club, Dhaka, where the chief guest was Prof. Dr. M. Moniruzzaman Miah, former Vice Chancellor, Dhaka University.
2005 March 01	A seminar was held at Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka on "Upstream Water Diversion by India: Effects on Environment and Ecology of Bangladesh”. Prof. Dr. Jasim Uddin Ahmad was the key-note speaker.
2005 February 24	A seminar was held at Khulna University, Khulna on "Indian River Interlink Project: The Existence of Bangladesh". Prof. Jasim Uddin Ahmad presented the key-note paper and the seminar was presided over by Prof. Abdul Kader Bhuyia, the Vice Chancellor of Khulna University, Khulna. Mr. Sheikh Razzak Ali, Former Speaker and High Commissioner was present as Chief Guest.
2005 February 16	A Round-Table Discussion on Long March & Grand Rally was held at the Auditorum Hall, National Press Club, Dhaka, on 16 February 2005. Mr Abdullah Al Noman, Honourable Minister for Fisheries & Livestok, Kazi Zafar Ahmad, former Prime minister Abdul Matin, a Leader of 1952 Language Movement. Also present were : leaders of different political parties, professional organization, journalist and IFC leaders.
2005 February 13	A seminar was held at Rangpur on "Indian River Interlink Project: A Threat to the Existence of Bangladesh". Prof. Jasim Uddin Ahmad presented the key-note paper and the seminar was presided over by Ashraf Hossain Barada, Mr. Atiqur Rahman Yusufzai Salu, was present as Chief Guest, Mr. Sayed Tipu Sultan was the Guest of Honour
2005 January 26	Two seminars were held at Chilmari and Ulipur on the "Indian River Interlink Project: A Threat to the Existence of Bangladesh". Prof. Dr. Jasim Uddin Ahmad and Dr. Engineer S.I. Khan were the key-note speaker.
2005 January 25	Two seminars were held at Lalmonirhat and Kurigram on the "Indian River Interlink Project: A Threat to the Existence of Bangladesh". Mr. Asadul Habib Dulu, MP and Honourable Deputy Minister was present as Chief Guest in both the seminar which was presided by Prof. Dr. Jasim Uddin Ahmad. Dr. Engineer S.I. Khan was the key-note speaker.
2004 December 17	Two seminars were held at Raumari and Rajibpur, Kurigram District on the "Indian River Interlink Project: A Threat to the Existence of Bangladesh". Dr. Engineer S.I. Khan was the key-note speaker.
2004 November 17	In observance of 28th death anniversary of Great Leader of Peasants Moulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhasani (died in 1976), IFC and IFC Bangladesh Chapter placed wrath on his mazar (the grave yard) and organized a meeting in the Moulana Bhasani Science and Technology University, Tangail, Bangladesh. IFC opened a Stall in the Fair to publicise the Programme of 'LONG MARCH 2005 and GRAND RALLY' to be held on 4 March 2005. Books, Posters and Booklets were distributed (free) to the people coming from many districts of the country..
2004 October 7	IFC organized a press conference in New York, USA and call upon to all,  to make the Long March on 4 March 2005 a grand success.
2004 September 22	IFC and IFC Bangladesh Chapter jointly organized a press conference at Bangladesh Press Club, Dhaka. Where IFC formally announced the Programme of 'LONG MARCH 2005 and GRAND RALLY' to be held on 4 March 2005 on the bank of the Brahmaputra at Cilmari Bandar, Kurigram district, Rangpur, Bangladesh.  IFC launched the Posters and Booklets published on this occasion.
2004 September 17	A seminar on 'River Inter-link Project: and the existence of Bangladesh at a stake' was organized by IFC Bangladesh Chapter's Dinajpur Branch in Dinajpur.
2004 September15-16	A team of 7 IFC persons consisting of Professor Dr. Jasim Uddin Ahmad, Sayed Tipu Sultan, Dr. Engr. S.I. Khan, Syed Erfanul Bari, Kazi Mustafa Kamal and Abul Kashem Laskar visited different locations along the bank of the Brahmaputra and selected Cilmari Bandar, Kurigram district, Rangpur, Bangladesh as the site for the Grand Rally to be held on 4 March 2005
2004 August 21	IFC, N.Y. and IFC-Bangladesh Chapter have jointly organized a national workshop on ' Flood and other environmental problems in Bangladesh:  Possible solutions" at VIP Lounge, National Press Club, Dhaka. Mr. Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan, M.P. the Honourable Minister for Local Government, Rural development and Cooperatives of Bangladesh was the Chief guest on the occasion. Mr. Hafiz Uddin Ahmad, BB, M.P., the Honourable Minister for Water Resources was present as the Special Guest. Dr. Engr. S.I. Khan presented the key-note paper, Mr. Atiqur R.K. Eusufzai, Chairman of International Farakka Committee presided over the workshop. Sayed Tipu Sultan, Secretary General, IFC, Prof. Dr. J.U. Ahmad, Mr.Jafrullah Chowdhury and Prof. Dr. Md. Khalilur Rahman also spoke on the concerns over the flood.
2004 June 27	IFC has organized a seminar in New York, USA to build public opinion against 'Indian River Inter-link Mega project and on its adverse impact on Bangladesh'.Professor Jasim Uddin Ahmad, Former Vice Chancellor, Jahangirnagar University and Chairman of IFC Bangladesh Chapter presented keynote paper in the seminar.
2004 June 26	IFC has organized a seminar in Washington D.C. to build public opinion against 'Indian River Inter-link Mega project and on its adverse impact on Bangladesh'. Mr. A.R.K.Eusufzai, Chairman, IFC and Mr. Sayed Tipu Sultan, Secretary General, IFC made there Valuable speech and Professor Jasim Uddin Ahmad, Chairman of IFC Bangladesh Chapter presented keynote paper in the seminars.
2004 May 25	IFC Bangladesh Chapter hosted a reception in honour of Mr. Banjamin Gillman, Former Chairperson of US Congress' International Committee during his Bangladesh visit. Mr. Gillman was briefed by Professor JU Ahmad, Chairman of IFC Bangladesh Chapter about the serious adverse effect of Indian River Inter-link Mega project on Bangladesh and urged him to create world opinion in favour of Bangladesh causes.
2004 May 16	In observance of Farakka Long March day lead by Moulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhasani in 1976, IFC Bangladesh Chapter has organized a seminar in Tangail, Bangladesh. Speakers were  Professor Jasim Uddin Ahmad, Chairman, Dr. Engr. S.I. Khan, Adviser, Prof. Dr. Yusuf Ahmad Sharif Khan, VC, Bhasani University of Science and Technology, Syed Erfanul Bari and Bulbul Khan Mahbub,
2004 March 16	IFC-Bangladesh Chapter has participated in the 'Bangladesh Citizen's Facts Finding Commission's Farakka Rally-16th March 2004' in a calls to stop water insurgency by India on Bangladesh. Dr. Jasim Uddin Ahmad, the Chairman of IFC Bangladesh Chapter and Vice-Chancellor of Jahangirnagar University was made Co-Chairman of the Citizen's Facts Finding Commission. A large number of IFC members visited Kansat of Chapai Nawabganj, Rajshahi seen the devastating impact after the withdrawal of water by Indian Farakka Dam and real lean period situation of the Padma river. In the public meeting there Professor J.U. Ahmad addressed the huge gathereing on behalf of IFC.
2004 February 12	IFC has organized a National Conference entitled, "The impact of Upstream Water Diversion from the International Rivers: Ganges- Brahmaputra-Meghna through Indian River Inter-link Mega project", held at the Seminar Hall of Bangladesh-China Friendship Convention Center, Dhaka. Mr. Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan, M.P. the Honourable Minister for Local Government, Rural development and Cooperatives of Bangladesh was the Chief guest on the occasion. The Chairman and a members of the Bangladesh Caucus of the US Congress, Congressmen Mr. Joseph Crowley and Mr. Gregory Micks were present in the conference as Guests of Honour. Several senior ministers of Bangladesh Cabinet were present as the Special Guests of honour.
2003 Sept.-October	IFC has organized several 'Protest Rally in front of the United Nations Head quarters in New York' and handed over a memorandum to United Nations-HQ. Also urged to the World Bank leaders, stating the overall adverse effect and impending danger of the project, World bank not to finance such a devastating project of India.
2003 December 27-29	IFC has participated as an invited representative in an international Conference on "Land and Water" in New Delhi, India and voiced their concerns over the 'Indian River Inter-link Mega project' matter.
2003 November 4	IFC launched an website www.farakkacommittee.com and initiated a protest and discussion forum on "Indian River Inter-link Mega project" in New York, USA.
2003 August 7	IFC held Public Launching ceremony of the 'National  Documentation on Problems of Arsenic and Farakka'. Honourable Minister for LGRD&C Mr. Abdul Mannan Bhuiya was the Chief Guest and Special Guests were: Mr. Shajahan Siraj, the honourable Minister for Environment and Forest, Mr. Hafiz Uddin Ahmad, B.B, the honourable Minister for Water Resources and the Mr. A.N.M. Ehsanul Hoque (Milan), honourable State-Minister for Education of the Govt. of Bangladesh.
2003 August 6	IFC handed over the ' National Documentation on Problems of Arsenic and Farakka' to the Honourable President of the Peoples' Republic of Bangladesh, Prof. Dr. Iajuddin Ahmed.
2003 August 4	The Honourable Prime Minister of the Peoples' Republic of Bangladesh, Begum Khaleda Zia unveiled the cover of the IFC published 'National Documentation on Problems of Arsenic and Farakka' edited by Prof. Jasim Uddin Ahmad. . She called for, to all expatriates to stand against any conspiracy against Bangladesh and portray true picture, as well as to highlight the problems and adverse Impact of Farakka Barrage. Work unitedly so that, to create opinion of the World leaders in favour of Bangladesh.
2003 July 22	IFC organized a discussion meeting with the Vice-Chancellor and Faculty Members of Khulna University, Bangladesh, on 'Arsenic Problem and Adverse Impact of Farakka Barrage on the Sunderbans', the largest mangrove forest of the World.
2002 August 5	IFC Chairman Mr. Atiqur R. K. Eusufzai and Editor Prof. Jasim Uddin Ahmad met Honorable Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia and apprised her about the publication of the National Documentation.
2002 July	IFC organized a press conference in Bangladesh on 'Environmental Problems in Bangladesh'.
2002 June 16	IFC leaders had a meeting with LGRD Minister Mr. Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan, Govt. of Bangladesh on 'Arsenic Problem in Bangladesh'.
2002 January14-16	IFC represented in the International Workshop organized by the Ministry of LGRD, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
2002 January 13	IFC participated in the International Seminar on 'Arsenic' organized by Dhaka Community Hospital (DCH), Bangladesh, where Sayed Tipu Sultan co-chaired in one of the session.
2002 January 12	IFC Secretary General represented in the seminar organized by Bangladesh Enterprise Institute (BEI) at their Gulshan Auditorium. The seminar was chaired by Ambassador Farooq Subhan and decorated by Congressman Joseph Crowley (Chairman Bangladeshi Caucus), Congressman Jim McDermott (Chairman Indian Caucus), Sabbir Ahmed and S. F. Rahman. Joseph Crowley spoke about his congressional effort to allocate million dollars in solving the arsenic catastrophe of Bangladesh.
2001 August 2	IFC jointly organized a Seminar with Bhashani Seba Committee at Santosh Islami University, Tangail, presided by Syed Irfanul Bari on 'Arsenic Problem of Bangladesh'.
2001 July 31	IFC organized a Press Conference at VIP Lounge of the National Press Club, Dhaka, and urged the political leaders to include the commitment of solving arsenic related problems in Bangladesh in their Election Manifesto.
2001 June 25	IFC Secretary General Sayed Tipu Sultan Represented IFC at an International Seminar on Arsenic held in Rome, Italy, as a Chief Guest.
2001 June 11	IFC leaders met with U.S. Ambassador to Bangladesh and presented a crest to Congressman Joseph Crowley.
2001 May 14	IFC organized a reception to Congressman Joseph Crowley, Former Congressman Herb Klein, Robert Ann, Ethel Chen, and Congress-woman Carrolyn B. Melloni for their support to IFC.
2000 June-July	Organized a series of consultative activities for awareness creation on Farakka and Arsenic problems in Bangladesh and met with several U.S. Congressmen. A video documentation on 'Adverse impact of Farakka and life and death problems of Arsenic in Bangladesh context' was produced and shown to the policy planners of North America and Bangladesh.
1999 July 16	Facts Finding Committee Members met the Press at the National Press Club VIP Lounge, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
1998 October 1	Facts Finding Committee was formed
1998 July 18-19	IFC organized an International Seminar on 'The Problem of Surface and Groundwater Management, Arsenic Contamination, and Desertification Syndrome in Bangladesh'. The Seminar was jointly organized with Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh (IEB).
1998 February 11	IFC leaders met with Congressman Bill Pascrell.
1997 September 28	International Seminar was held in LaGuardia Marriott Hotel, organized by IFC, represented by two U.S. Congressmen.
1997 September 14	IFC leaders participated in 5th International Global Warming Conference held at Columbia University in New York.
1996 October 24	A rally was held in front of the UN during the General Assembly-organized by IFC, to draw attention to water and environmental problem in Bangladesh.
1996 October 24	IFC leaders met with the then Foreign Minister Abdus Samad Azad of Bangladesh.
1995 October 24	Rallies were held all over U.S.A. and Canada on UN day.
1995 June 12	IFC leaders met with Joyti Basu, Chief Minister of West Bengal
1994 June 14	IFC organized a workshop. M. H. Khan was the chief guest.
1994 May 19	A rally was held in front of Capitol Hill and Indian High Commission Office in Washington D.C. during the visit of Indian Prime Minister Rao - organized by IFC, to draw attention to the eco-disaster in Bangladesh from unilateral withdrawal of Ganges water.
1994 May 18	IFC leaders met Congressman Herb Klein in his New Jersey, U.S.A., Office.
1994 May 17	IFC organized a rally and made representation during the visit of Prime Minister Narasimha Rao in Boston. Two Memoranda were submitted to the Secretary General of the United Nations by concerned Bangladeshi-Canadians drawing his attention to the environmental disaster in Bangladesh.
1994 May 14	A Protest Rally was held in front of the UN Headquarters during the visit of the then Prime Minister of India, Narasimha Rao.
1993 November 9	IFC was formed: Kazi Zakaria as Chairman and Atiqur R. K. Eusufzai as Senior Vice-Chairman and Sayed Tipu Sultan as Secretary General.
1993 October 10	International Seminar was held in Columbia University organized by Farakka Seminar Committee and sponsored by BAPAF (Bangladesh American Public Affairs Front).
1993 October 2	International Farakka Committee (IFC) leaders met Begum Khaleda Zia, the then Prime Minister of the People's Republic of Bangladesh.
1993 October 1	IFC organized a rally to draw world attention to the environmental problems of Bangladesh at UN Headquarters, New York. The then Prime Minister of Bangladesh Begum Khaleda Zia alerted the world community at the 48th session of UN General Assembly that 80 million people in Bangladesh are faced with catastrophic disaster due to the Farakka Barrage.