668 waterbodies to be re-excavated to reduce waterlogging

The government has taken up a Tk 2,256.85 crore project to re-excavate 668 small rivers, canals, and waterbodies across the country aiming to reduce waterlogging and flood risks as well as increase the use of groundwater.

The project is scheduled to be finished within 2023. Under the project titled “River, canal and waterbody re-excavation project in 64 districts”, a total of 109 small rivers, 533 canals, and 26 waterbodies will be re-excavated.

The government has targeted to provide irrigation facility in 1.5 lakh hectares of land after increasing the water reservation capacity round the year through the project, which will potentially boost agricultural production along with preserving nature.

Under the project, the risks of waterlogging and flood will be reduced by increasing the drainage facility in six lakh hectares of land.

Sources said by increasing the navigability of small rivers and canals, 2,000-kilometre waterways will be built, which will also boost fish production.

The excavated soil will be used for the development of riverbanks and the socio-economic conditions of the local people, which will be implemented by the water resources ministry. In the budget for FY22, the government has allocated Tk 320 crore for this sector.

Project insiders said although the project is supposed to be completed within 2023, work would not be finished by then as the speed of work is higher in northern areas compared to southern ones due to tidal waves.

At the same time, the allocation for the project is inadequate and the Planning Commission has said the project will not be extended.

The government has taken up the Delta Plan 2100 for the first time since the Liberation War in 1971, and the excavation project is the first step of that.

Project Director Tarik Abdullah Al Fayaz said the project is underway but it has failed to gain momentum due to the Covid-19 pandemic. That is why the project tenure has been extended until 2023, he said.

The cost of the project was estimated at Tk 2,279.54 crore, which was scheduled to be completed within June 2021. Later, costs were reduced to Tk 2,256.84 crore but the tenure was extended, he added.

The project proposal by the Bangladesh Water Development Board stated that Bangladesh is a riverine country and at least 9,734 square kilometres are covered by rivers and waterbodies.

All these waterbodies carry clean water, which can be used for agriculture and is also essential to save nature. The country has at least 80 per cent low-lying land, which is flooded during the rainy season. Due to climate and seasonal changes, Bangladesh experiences floods every year, which destroy a huge amount of land, crops, and houses.

Every year, approximately one billion tonnes of silt enter the country through three large rivers – Padma, Meghna, and Jamuna. This spreads among different channels of rivers, blocking water flow and navigability significantly. This also reduces water availability for irrigation and increases dependency on groundwater.

As a result, the level of groundwater is falling while arsenic impacts are rising. Besides, the adverse impact of waterlogging is causing harm to the environment, wildlife, crop production, and waterbodies.

Considering all these realities, the government decided to launch the re-excavation work to prevent floods as well as increase the navigability of rivers and canals.