Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Monday announced firm plans to implement the 'national priority' Teesta Barrage Master Plan at 'any cost', according to a report in The Times of India.The announcement comes days after Bangladesh and China agreed to work on the management of Teesta and other rivers, most of which flow from upstream in India, and Beijing stressing their “cooperation does not target any third party”.Tarique visited China last week, where Beijing extended unwavering support to the nation, “no matter how the world changes”.Clarifying on the stance of Teesta project cooperation and its impact on India, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said, “I would like to stress that China-Bangladesh cooperation does not target any third party.”In the regular briefing, Jiakun had also said, “The comprehensive treatment and rehabilitation of the Teesta River is a livelihood project the Bangladeshi side attaches high importance to.”“Government is committed to resolving the country’s longstanding water management challenges through major investments in rivers, canals and irrigation infrastructure,” Tarique said, as quoted by TOI.The prime minister added that water remains one of the most pressing concerns for people in the Rajshahi and Rangpur regions — bordering India’s northeast region — and “we are working relentlessly to address these problems”.Tarique highlighted that the BNP govt has initiated plans to build the Padma Barrage as excess water during the monsoon would be stored and utilised during the dry season for agriculture.(With inputs from TOI)