On 19 October, hundreds of students and activists gathered at Chittagong University, forming a human chain near the Shaheed Minar. Holding placards and flaming mashaal torches, they marched in protest, demanding swift implementation of the long-delayed Teesta River Master Plan and a "fair share" of water from the river, according to state-run news agency Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS). Organised largely by students from the Rangpur division, the protest reflected growing frustration over what many see as continued water injustice and India's alleged influence over Bangladesh’s water policies. The Teesta River, crucial to agriculture and livelihoods in northern Bangladesh, has long been the centre of a deadlocked water-sharing dispute with India.

Demonstrators argued that the China-back

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