They said the proposed Demra-Tongi Eastern By- Pass has to be constructed immediately to keep the capital city free from flooding.

The seminar was organised by Uniting Bangladesh at the National Press Club with K M Obaidur Rahman MP in the chair.

State Minister for Agriculture Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and State Minister for Water Resources Goutam Chakrabarty attended the seminar as special guests.

Chairperson of Uniting Bangladesh Giasuddin Chowdhury presented the keynote paper.

Giasuddin said dams with sluice gates must be constructed over the hilly rivers of greater Sylhet, Comilla and Feni districts to control the onrush of waters from the upstream. These could also be used for producing electricity like Kaptai Hydroelectricity Project, he added.

Fakhrul Islam said the proposed Indian River Linking Project would have devastating impact on Bangladesh if we fail to take necessary steps against it.

He also suggested large scale dredging of rivers, and digging of canals to control the artificial floods.

Rajshahi City Mayor Mizanur Rahman Minu said India never wants to see Bangladesh as a rich country. So they create artificial floods by opening the sluice gates of the dams in the rainy season, he added.

"Bangladesh becomes the victim of floods every year. So it is necessary to construct dams with the help of Nepal which is our friendly country," Minu said.

Joinul Abedin Faruq MP, BFUJ President Gias Kamal Chowdhury and Abul Kashem Chowdhury of Bangladesh Water Development Board also spoke.