Dhaka, Nov 27 : Bangladesh on Saturday said it expects India not to proceed with the cross-border hydro-electric Tipaimukh dam project in Manipur without consulting it, warning that it may approach international courts if it is "ignored" by New Delhi.
"As a friendly country, Bangladesh trusts India ... (but) if India ignores Bangladesh, we will go to international courts to preserve our existence," Water Resources Minister Ramesh Sen told an experts' dialogue on river management.
He said "national interest" may prompt the government here to seek redress against the proposed cross-border hydro-power project.
Sen said that Bangladesh has already informed New Delhi that it is ready for a consultation with India on the proposed project.
The minister's comments came as main opposition BNP today said it received a letter from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in response to a mail sent by its leader and ex-premier Khaleda Zia three days ago on the Tipaimukh dam issue.
"We have received Dr Manmohan Singh's letter from the Indian High Commission in Dhaka but since madam (Zia) is outside Dhaka on a political programme, we are yet to know the contents," Zia's press secretary Maruf Kamal Sohel told agency.
Zia earlier demanded that India immediately "discontinue the construction of Tipaimukh dam" and suggested a joint survey to be carried out on its impact.
Foreign Minister Dipu Moni two days ago said the Indian government was yet to approve the controversial project as her ministry was reassured by India that the dam would not divert waters from the common river, Barak.
"We have information that the Tipaimukh dam project would take 87 months for implementation and the Indian central government has yet to approve it," she had said.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina earlier this week told Parliament that a high-level delegation would be sent to India to discuss the issue, while proposals have also been made to conduct a joint study to asses Tipaimukh's viability.
Dhaka last week demanded details of Indian steps on Tipaimukh "in full transparency" as New Delhi said that it had signed a 'Promoter's Agreement' to install a Joint Venture Company (JVC) for the project.
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