From Dredging Today
The government has massive plans to dredge all 310 rivers of the country to bring back navigability, control floods and ensure proper irrigation, Water Resources Minister Ramesh Chandra Sen told the House yesterday.
While replying to queries of lawmakers who described the sorry state of many rivers, the water resources minister also said four mega projects worth about Tk 5,000 crore to this effect are under the process for approval.
The projects are: the pilot capital dredging of river system in Bangladesh (first phase) worth Tk 1,445.51 crore, Buriganga recovery project worth Tk 1,514.95 crore, purchasing of dredgers and ancillary equipment for dredging rivers with a cost of Tk 1,593.68 crore and coordinated irrigation, extraction and flood control project worth Tk 378.52 crore.
“Of the rivers, dredging work will begin very soon in four major rivers–Jamuna, Meghna, Brahmaputra and the Padma,” the minister said, adding that once the dredging job is completed in these rivers, a number of small rivers will get its benefit.
He said the government has also taken up four short-term projects along with the mega projects to carry out dredging in rivers and control floods.
The government has already formulated a strategy paper with an expenditure of Tk 50 crore to carry out short-term, mid-term and long-term dredging in major rivers, the water resources minister said.
“On approval of the strategy, preparation of projects, their approval and implantation process will start,” he said.
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Dredging will bring positive benefits to the nation, and people who are affected may save tland and their farmland and their habitat. Politics must be out and programs to develop the country for a brighter future should be in the plans.