Dhaka, May 15 -- The International Farakka Committee (IFC) on Wednesday urged the government and others concerned to start the process of renewal of the Ganges Water Treaty for a basin-based integrated regional management of the river to keep it alive and reach its fruits to all the people on its banks.

The committee leaders made the call in a statement issued to mark the 43rd anniversary of the Farakka Long March organised by Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani.

On May 16, 1976, Maulana Bhashani led the long march to protest the drying up of the Ganges/Padma in Bangladesh as a consequence of water diversion and its massive adverse environmental impacts.

In the joint statement, the committee leaders said the justification of the long mar...