At a program organized at Hatir Teesta in Lalmonirhat, Mirza Fakhrul Islam addressed India saying, “Stop your elder-brother, tough-guy behavior with us. We want to stand on our own feet. We want to claim our fair share. We do want to see India as a friend, but that friendship must come with respect and the fulfillment of our rightful demands.” He also mentioned, “On one hand, India denies us our rightful share of water, and on the other, it shelters the perpetrator of the 17-year-long genocide and torture, Hasina.” The BNP leader emphasized that the struggle for a fair share of water is not just an issue of resources, but a fight for survival for the people of Bangladesh.