Water minister seeks urgent plans to fast-track canal excavation

Canal excavation in Bangladesh moved to the top of the policy agenda as Water Resources Minister Md Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anee directed relevant ministries to submit detailed action plans within three days to ensure visible and effective implementation of the nationwide programme.

The directive was issued at an inter-ministerial meeting held at the Ministry of Water Resources at the Bangladesh Secretariat in Dhaka. The meeting focused on implementing the countrywide excavation and re-excavation of rivers, canals and waterbodies initiative.

Md Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anee said the canal excavation programme must be accelerated to address long-standing irrigation gaps and waterlogging, which have increased public hardship in various regions. He noted that canal excavation efforts in earlier decades had significantly improved agricultural productivity and rural livelihoods.

The minister stressed that the current government is committed to delivering on its electoral pledges and ensuring public welfare through sustainable water management reforms. He emphasised the need to link canal restoration with biodiversity conservation, modern waste management strategies and livelihood opportunities for local communities.

State Minister for Water Resources Forhad Hossain Azad said the government has pledged to excavate 20,000 kilometres of canals and plant five crore trees over the next five years. He underlined that the Ministry of Water Resources will play a leading role in executing the programme and called for a comprehensive roadmap outlining responsibilities for the current fiscal year and subsequent years.

The planned 20,000-kilometre canal, pond and waterbody excavation programme will be jointly implemented by the Ministry of Water Resources, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives, and the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief.

Officials at the meeting highlighted that improved canal networks are critical for strengthening irrigation systems, reducing flood risks, mitigating waterlogging and enhancing agricultural resilience amid climate change pressures.

The inter-ministerial coordination reflects a broader policy push to modernise Bangladesh’s water infrastructure and restore natural drainage systems, which are increasingly viewed as essential to food security, rural development and environmental sustainability.