Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus expressed his dissatisfaction on Sunday with the 10-year delay in the completion of two surface water projects, warning that the over-extraction of groundwater is putting the environment at significant risk.
"We are placing the environment in grave danger by depleting groundwater daily. Despite having solutions to this crisis, the necessary work has not been completed for years," he said during a meeting on the matter.
The meeting, held at the State Guest House Jamuna, aimed to review the progress of the Water Treatment Plant Construction Project Phase 3 and the Meghna River Protection Master Plan Project.
Senior officials from the Local Government Division, Dhaka Wasa, the Planning Commission, the Economic Relations Division (ERD), the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, and the Department of Environment (DoE) attended the discussion.
Lamiya Morshed, principal coordinator for SDG affairs (Senior Secretary), and M Siraz Uddin Miah, principal secretary to the chief adviser, were also present.
Yunus voiced his frustration that the two projects, which are crucial for the people of Dhaka city, have remained stalled for nearly a decade.
He urged the relevant departments and ministries to identify the obstacles that have hindered the progress of these projects since their inception and to focus on minimizing project costs.
Officials pointed out that about 70% of Dhaka's total water supply comes from groundwater sources.
However, prolonged reliance on this resource has caused the water table to drop by 2-3 metres annually, creating a significant environmental threat and contradicting sustainable development principles.
To mitigate this crisis, the Meghna River Protection Master Plan was developed to treat water from the Meghna River through the Saidabad Water Treatment Plant Project (Phase 3), aiming to establish a sustainable and environmentally friendly water supply for Dhaka’s residents.
Germany, France, Denmark and the European Union (EU) have provided support for this initiative, and foreign donors have pledged to continue backing the project and increase assistance if needed.
The master plan to protect the Meghna River was initiated 10 years ago, and while it has been formulated, implementation has yet to begin.
Yunus emphasized that the rivers surrounding Dhaka, including the Buriganga and Shitalakshya, have become polluted to the point of being unusable, and many other rivers in the country are facing similar crises.
He underscored that protecting the Meghna River must be a government priority.
"Clearing Bangladesh’s rivers of pollution should be a top priority; otherwise, the safety and livelihoods of the people in these regions will be at risk," he warned.
The chief adviser directed the relevant ministries and departments to ensure the completion of these projects within the current fiscal year, expediting the necessary official procedures.
Additionally, he discussed enhancing the role of the National River Conservation Commission and improving coordination between the DoE and the Commission.
