The Ministry of Water Resources has formed a committee to restore the flow of Dhaka’s canals and establish a “Blue Network” by reclaiming the canals and freeing them from encroachment and pollution.
The announcement was made in a notice issued by the Ministry’s Monitoring and Implementation Branch on Tuesday, signed by Deputy Secretary Md Riazul Kabir.
According to the notice, an 11-member working group has been formed to develop a time-based and cost-effective action plan to restore the flow of Dhaka’s canals, reclaim them, and ensure they are free from encroachment and pollution.
The committee will immediately organize a three-day workshop to create an initial action plan. Following this, the committee will consult stakeholders to finalize the plan, which is due to be submitted to the Ministry by November 30.
The committee will be chaired by Dhaka’s Additional Deputy Commissioner (Revenue) and includes representatives from the Bangladesh Water Development Board, the Department of Environment, the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority, the River Protection Commission, the Local Government Engineering Department, Dhaka North and South City Corporations, the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk), as well as an NGO or volunteer organization and an educational representative nominated by the local administration.
This initiative follows an earlier announcement by Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan. She highlighted plans for a canal-centered “Blue Network” through Dhaka’s canals, utilizing those still recoverable. The formation of this committee is the first step in realizing that vision.