Historic ‘Farakka Long-March Day’ today

The “Farakka Long-March Day” is being observed in the country commemorating populist leader Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhasani’s historic long march towards Farakka Dam 47 years ago.

On May 16 in 1976, Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhasani led the long march from Rajshahi towards India's Farakka barrage, constructed to divert the flow of Ganges water inside its territory.

Thousands of people participated in the long march and staged demonstrations protesting the construction of the barrage.

The Farakka Barrage over the Ganges in the Indian state of West Bengal is around 16.5 kilometres (10.3 miles) from the Chapainawabganj border. It has had a massive adverse impact on Bangladesh’s ecology since it started operation.