All canals under Dhaka North and South City Corporations will be freed from illegal occupation through two committees formed by the city corporations, State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives Mir Shahe Alam announced on Saturday.
The state minister made the announcement while inspecting the cleaning operation at Muslim Bazar canal in Mirpur-12, accompanied by Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Administrator Md Shafiqul Islam Khan.
After freeing the canals from occupation, permanent preservation will be ensured through demarcation and construction of guide walls on both sides, the state minister said.
“If the canals of Dhaka city are not preserved, the city will become uninhabitable,” he warned, calling on citizens to cooperate in restoring and permanently preserving the canals.
The state minister said cleaning operations are ongoing for 27 canals under DNCC and 29 canals under DSCC.
He alleged that no sincere cleaning drive had been conducted for the past 19 years under the previous government. “The current government has started cleaning every alley and canal of the city in the interest of citizens, and this work will continue,” he said.
The state minister informed that approximately 450 truckloads of waste have already been removed from the Muslim Bazar canal alone. All canals will be cleaned in this manner, he said, adding that the cleaning will protect citizens from waterlogging during the monsoon season.
The state minister warned that anyone found dumping waste in canals, near homes, or on roadsides after the cleaning drive will be fined according to the law.
DNCC Administrator Md Shafiqul Islam Khan said all service and development activities will continue according to public demand and need. He said 416 truckloads of sludge have been removed from the Muslim Bazar canal since 5 June.
The administrator alleged that no such cleaning initiative was taken in any canal during the 19-year “fascist” regime.
He said all canals under DNCC will be cleaned following the direction of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to free the city from waterlogging.
Responding to journalists’ questions, the administrator said efforts will be made to conduct coordinated development activities with WASA and DESCO to avoid repeated excavation of the same roads in the public interest.
After the inauguration, the state minister and the DNCC administrator inspected the cleaning operation along the canal.
