Staff Correspondent

Bangladesh will request upstream countries like China, India, Nepal and Bhutan to provide flood forecasting data in time to mitigate sufferings of people caused by the natural disaster, said Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Adviser to Water Resources Ministry here today.

In this connection, she said the present interim government will continue regular engagements with these countries to this end.

"Efforts will also be taken to provide timely flood forecasts to the people in simple language," the adviser said while presiding over a review meeting of the activities of different departments under the Ministry of Water Resources at the conference room of “Pani Bhaban” in the capital.

She said public hearings would be conducted in Feni and Cumilla, the areas recently severely affected by floods, to this end and future actions will be taken on the basis of public feedback.

She, however, said that all barriers to ensure the natural flow of rivers must be removed. To this end, she directed the relevant authorities to take action against all illegal encroachments, including fisheries enclosures in the Feni River.

Laying emphasize in preventing crop damage in the Haor regions due to damage of embankments, the adviser said that approval from the Department of Environment, Department of Haor and Wetlands Development must be obtained before constructing any infrastructure in the Haor areas.

In addition, Rizwana said all pumps under the Ganges-Kobadak Irrigation Project must be activated and the extraction of groundwater in the project area must be stopped.

The meeting was attended by Nazmul Ahsan, Secretary to the Ministry of Water Resources and heads of different departments, among others.

The meeting also discussed the activities of the Joint River Commission (JRC), the flood control forecasting system of the Bangladesh Water Development Board, the progress of activities in Haor areas and the rehabilitation project under the Ganges-Kobadak Irrigation Project.

The adviser stressed the importance of proper implementation of these projects for the greater national interest.