BNP vice-president Hafiz Uddin Ahmed said Saturday that government officials in Bangladesh had given their consent to construction of the Tipaimukh dam as far back as 1972, without fully understanding the potential impact of the controversial project, reports bdnews24.com.

Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, a former BNP Water Resources Minister, said 13 meetings of the Joint Rivers Commission were held till 1975, and during the period the then Awami League government had agreed to the proposed site of the dam.

"Later, in 1978, Bangladesh demanded an expert survey. All this went on clandestinely," Hafiz told a meeting organised by the International Farakka Committee at the National Press Club.

He said another three meetings of the Joint Rivers Commission were held between 1996 and 2001 under the AL administration, although the Tipaimukh Dam project had not been discussed at the meetings.

Speaking earlier, Workers' Party president Rashed Khan Menon MP accused the BNP-led alliance of failing to take any action regarding the planned dam during their administration.

"Khaleda Zia did not utter a single word on the matter when she was prime minister, even though I supplied a detailed report on the project to the then water resources minister in 2003," said Menon.

He said the BNP were raising the issue now they are out of power, when they failed to take any steps while in government.

Menon, however, was also concerned about the dam's impact. "We have to inform people about the harmful impact of the dam. If necessary, there can be a joint commission with India, China, Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh."

He said the Ganges Treaty with India clearly stated that constructions on certain rivers required international dialogue.

"Our Joint Rivers Commission is very weak on this issue. They don't have the authority to take any decisions. They only act according to political decisions," said Menon.

Hafiz, speaking after Menon, said, "The BNP government during its tenure sent three letters to India regarding the dam, but got no response."

"We don't want to get into a squabble with our neighbour, but we do want a solution to this problem," said Hafiz.