Govt to continue canal re-excavation to tackle waterlogging: Anee

The government will continue its ongoing programme of re-excavating canals and dredging water bodies across Bangladesh to address water-logging, improve irrigation facilities and strengthen agricultural productivity, said Water Resources Minister Md Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anee on Saturday.

He made the remarks while inaugurating the re-excavation work of the Rajapur-Debinagar Canal at Uttar Joypur Union under Lakshmipur Sadar Upazila as the chief guest.

The project is being implemented under the Employment Generation Programme for the Poorest (EGPP) of the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief.

The minister said that restoring the natural flow of rivers and canals is essential for ensuring year-round water management.

According to him, dredging activities will not only help reduce water-logging in low-lying areas but will also provide irrigation facilities during the dry season, support fisheries development and contribute to environmental protection.

He added that the re-excavation of the Rajapur-Debinagar Canal will directly benefit local farmers by improving irrigation access while also helping protect surrounding communities from seasonal flooding. As part of the project, trees will be planted along both sides of the canal to preserve ecological balance and prevent erosion.

The minister also said that involving local labourers in the excavation work has created employment opportunities for people in the area.

He claimed that such initiatives reflect a long-term agricultural development strategy, recalling earlier canal excavation programmes and stating that similar efforts have been expanded across multiple districts.

According to him, the government has already initiated canal and river re-excavation activities in 54 districts in the first phase and plans to excavate around 20,000 kilometres of waterways over the next five years.

Under the current project, around 9 kilometres of the Rajapur-Debinagar Canal are being re-excavated at a cost of Tk2.15 crores, while another 6.62-kilometre canal stretch from Mora Meghna to Char Martin is being restored at a cost of Tk 1.85 crores.

Local administration officials, police representatives and other dignitaries were present at the event.