Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will inaugurate a massive canal re-excavation programme on Monday, fulfilling another key electoral pledge of the BNP-led government.
The prime minister will launch the excavation of 53 canals across the country from Kaharoal upazila in Dinajpur district, with plans to eventually re-excavate 20,000 kilometers of canals nationwide.
According to officials, the initiative aims to revive canals originally dug during the time of President Ziaur Rahman that have become silted over the years.
PM’s schedule
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will depart Dhaka by air Monday morning, arriving at Saidpur Airport around 9am. From there, he will travel by road to Dinajpur according to Abdul Gafur Sarkar, president of BNP’s Nilphamari district.
At Kaharoal upazila’s Sahapara-Balaram area, he will inaugurate the re-excavation of a 12-kilometre canal, simultaneously launching work on 52 other canals nationwide.
Following the ceremony, the prime minister will visit Faridpur Graveyard in Dinajpur town to pay respects at the graves of his maternal grandfather late Md Iskandar Majumdar, maternal grandmother late Tayyaba Majumdar, and aunt late Khurshid Jahan Haque (Chocolate).
He will then join an Iftar gathering with local dignitaries and political leaders.
Economic impact
Women and Children Affairs and Social Welfare Minister AZM Zahid Hossain, who inspected the Sahapara-Balaram canal on Friday, said approximately 350,000 people would benefit from the excavation of this single canal.
“It will provide protection from excessive flooding and offer irrigation facilities during the dry season,” he said.
The programme will be implemented through coordination between the Ministry of Water Resources, Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, and BADC.
“The initiative includes not only excavation but also canal bank protection, embankment construction, and tree plantation programmes,” Hossain added.
Officials said the scientific use of canal water is expected to boost agricultural production and improve the economic condition of local people through enhanced irrigation, fish farming, and duck rearing opportunities.
