The government has taken initiatives to excavate 5,551 kilometre-long canals in 64 districts, says State Minister for Water Resources Zaheed Farooque.
“Another initiative will also be taken to excavate 5,000 more kilometre-long canals,” he said on Wednesday (Apr 17).
The state minister was addressing a seminar arranged in observance of the World Water Day-2019 at Bangladesh Water Development Board’s conference room.
Bangladesh National Committee of International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID) organised the seminar.
Deputy Minister for Water Resources AKM Enamul Haque Shamim addressed the seminar as the guest of honor while and Water Secretary Kabir Bin Anwar present there as the special guest.
Enamul Haque Shamim said the Prime Minister has instructed to carry out dredging whenever navigability is appeared to be reduced due to siltation.
“We are following the Prime Minister’s instruction,” he added.
He also mentioned that Water Resources ministry and Shipping ministry jointly have been running drives to demolish illegal establishments along river banks and it will continue in the days to come.
Presided over by BANCID Chairman Engineer Md Mahfuzur Rahman, Department of Water Resources Engineering of Bangladesh Engineering University (BUET) Professor Dr Umme Kulsum Navera presented the keynote paper at the seminar.