Long-term master plan to protect major rivers, database of all canals in the country being prepared

Although emergency short-term work is done every year to prevent river erosion, it is not a permanent protection system. Keeping the changing nature of rivers in mind, the government has taken the initiative to prepare an integrated long-term master plan for the country's major rivers, aiming for a permanent solution.

Alongside this, a study on the Teesta basin and the preparation of a complete database of all the canals in the country have also been taken up. This information was given in the question-answer session on the second day of the fourth session of the National Parliament on Tuesday. Speaker Major (retd) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed Bir Bikram presided over the session.

In reply to a written question from Mahfuza Hannan, member of parliament for reserved women's seat-41, Water Resources Minister Md Shahiduddin Chowdhury Annie presented these plans of the government in Parliament.

In her question, the member of parliament asked why, despite spending large amounts of money every year on short-term and repetitive projects to prevent river erosion, no lasting benefit is achieved, and whether the present government has any specific roadmap for long-term and sustainable river management.

In reply, Shahiduddin Chowdhury Annie said that every year, emergency work in erosion-prone areas reduces immediate damage, but that is not a permanent protection system. However, the Ministry of Water Resources has taken the initiative to prepare a long-term and integrated master plan aiming for a permanent solution.

Parliament was informed that under the Jamuna River Sustainable Management project, being implemented with joint financing from the Government of Bangladesh and the World Bank, this master plan is being prepared for the country's major rivers. As a continuation, a project titled 'River System Adaptation-Based Management' has been taken up to protect the vulnerable stretches of the Jamuna and Padma rivers in Sirajganj, Pabna, Tangail, Manikganj and Dhaka districts, which is currently awaiting approval from the Planning Commission.

In his reply, Md Shahiduddin Chowdhury Annie also said a separate study project has been taken up for integrated and sustainable management of the Teesta river basin in the northern region, to ensure flood management, prevention of river erosion, water conservation in the dry season, expansion of irrigation facilities, environmental restoration and climate resilience.

Alongside river management, the government is also emphasising canal protection. In this regard, it was said in the reply that the Bangladesh Water Development Board has taken up a technical project to identify all canals in the country, classify them, determine their boundaries and prepare a geo-informatic database. Under it, a complete database of canals will be prepared, verified against CS and RS maps, with division by organisation.

Parliament was informed that as these initiatives are implemented in phases, river erosion will be prevented, navigability will increase, and water conservation and flood management will be ensured in the country.