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Dhaka Thursday,  Mar 28, 2024

PM for flood control measures keeping pace with nature

DHAKA, May 11, 2014: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has asked the ministry of water resources to take flood control measures and river training keeping pace with nature.

She asked them to allow the rivers to flow normally improving their navigability and be more careful about constructing barrages and sluice gates.

\”We need measures to control flood, river training and irrigation for food production and fish culture, but it should not be at the cost of disrupting normal courses of the rivers going against the inherent power of the water and river,\” she said.

The Prime Minister said this while addressing the officials of the ministry during her visit to the ministry at Bangladesh Secretariat here today.

Sheikh Hasina asked the officials to carryout a study on the
necessity of existing sluice gates across the country and execution of the present government\’s river dredging and river training projects.

In this regard, the Prime Minister said, the government is making its constant efforts for signing of the Teesta river water sharing agreement with India.

She said, her government is keen to resolve the issues of
transboundary rivers with amicable negotiation with neighbouring
countries. In line with this, she said, Bangladesh and India has
come to a fruitful decision and reached a consensus for signing
of the Teesta agreement.

\”But, signing of the agreement halted due to unfortunate objection of the West Bengal Chief Minister. But, the central government of India was sincere for the agreement. I\’m hopeful about resolving the problem through discussion,\” she said.

Laying importance on cooperation on management of the water resources of the common rivers in this region, Sheikh Hasina said, the much-talked about Ganges Barrage would be constructed under a joint initiative with neighbouring countries, as otherwise it may create confusion among them.

Minister for Water Resources Barrister Anisul Islam Mahmud gave introductory speech. State Minister Muhammad Nazrul Islam, Bir Protik, PM\’s Principal Secretary Abdus Sobhan Sikder, PMO Secretary Abul Kalam Azad, secretary of the MoWR Dr. Zafar Ahmed Khan, heads of different division and board under the ministry and senior officials were present.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said, the lives and livelihood of the millions of people of the country rotate on water from ancient age as more than four hundred including 57 transboudary rivers crisscrossed the country.

“So, we need development of the water resources and maintain navigability of the rivers to protect the lives and livelihood of
the people, protect agriculture, ecology and save the agricultural land from salinity,” she said.

Sheikh Hasina said, Awami League whenever was in power has given utmost importance to proper management and development of the water resources despite the development partners never showed interest in giving fund for river dredging but constructing dams.

Saying that flood is essential for the country at times, the Prime Minister said, floods carry alluvium and make our arable land fertile. “So, sometimes we need flood for increasing agriculture production and surge of water into the aquifers,” she said.

She laid importance on earmarking buffer zones in different parts of the country for conservation of floodwater and constructing dwelling houses which would be sustainable to flood. As well, she underlined the importance on acquiring capacity to keep the other damages caused by flood to a tolerable level.

She said, the storage capacity of the rivers should be increased to make the surface water available for use. “Besides, we have immense potentiality to use our rivers for producing rice and fishes,” she said.

The Prime Minister said, after taking office in 1996, the Awami League government initiated for dredging of the rivers. But, next BNP government put the programme on hold, she said.

She said, after independence, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman constituted Bangladesh Water Development Board and had heralded an epoch making initiative for exchange survey on common rivers and exchange of related data and information with India.

Mentioning a number of projects including Meghna-Dhonagoda embankment at Chandpur, the Prime Minister said, the project has caused huge loss for local people despite some benefit. Many canals are drying out permanently because of construction of sluice gate in many areas without proper attention, she said, adding, “Water and rivers have their own strength, we should not overpower them according to our whim.”

The Prime Minister said, study is going on country’s 30 rivers and their dredging would begin after the study. The government has procured 11 dredgers in this purpose, she added.

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