Emphasis on protecting Barguna's rivers, canals, sustainable water management
Staff Correspondent:
The Government Institutions Committee of the 13th National Parliament has emphasized the need to adopt long-term and sustainable plans to solve the long-standing problems of river erosion, waterlogging, navigability of canals and rivers, and water management related problems of the people of coastal areas including Barguna.
These issues were emphasized in the third meeting of the committee at the National Assembly building on Wednesday. The meeting was presided over by Alhaj Nurul Islam Moni, the committee's chairman and Chief Whip of the Bangladesh National Assembly.
The meeting reviewed the ongoing activities, problems and future plans of the Ministry of Water Resources and the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) and Water Resources Planning Organization (WORPO) under it.
The discussion emphasized the need for long-term and sustainable planning in river management instead of short-term and recurring expenditures, taking into serious consideration the long-standing problems of river erosion and waterlogging faced by the people of coastal district Barguna. It was urged to use modern technology, research knowledge and local realities in an integrated manner in river governance and erosion prevention.
At the same time, it was recommended to implement planned excavation and re-excavation activities to restore the navigability of rivers, canals and reservoirs in the coastal region including Barguna. Emphasis was placed on conducting river and canal excavation activities under a coordinated policy instead of separate initiatives by various organizations.
The meeting recommended adopting a comprehensive strategy to manage large amounts of sediment, evaluate the effectiveness of regular and capital dredging, and maintain navigability. This is expected to have a positive impact on shipping, agriculture, fisheries, and the local economy in the coastal region.
Emphasis was also placed on increasing the use of surface water by reducing excess pressure on groundwater and following the policy of water reuse. In addition, it was recommended to quickly complete the ongoing study of the Water Resources Planning Agency and increase research capacity.
The committee's discussion focused on the need to protect the environment, address the impacts of climate change, and implement the nationwide river and canal dredging and re-dredge program under long-term and integrated water management, as per BNP's election pledges.
Emphasis was placed on the need to prioritize local realities and public interest in adopting and implementing projects to meet the needs of the people of the coastal district of Barguna, especially river erosion, waterlogging, navigability crisis, and water management.
The meeting emphasized the speedy resolution of more than 5,000 long-standing audit objections of the Bangladesh Water Development Board, the allocation of necessary funds at the beginning of the year for project implementation, and the enhancement of the institutional and technical capacity of the BWDB.
Committee members and whip Mian Nuruddin Ahmed Apu, whip Md. Akhtaruzzaman Mian, Md. Tahsina Rushdir, Khondaker Abu Ashfaq, Md. Koyshar Ahmed, Biswas Jahangir Alam, Mustafizur Rahman Bhuiyan and Md. Kamal Hossain participated in the meeting.
Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Water Resources, officials of the concerned ministries and departments, officials of the Water Development Board and Water Resources Planning Agency, and concerned officials of the Bangladesh National Parliament Secretariat were present in the meeting.
