The government plans to re-excavate at least 20,000 kilometres of canals across Bangladesh as part of an initiative to improve water management, agriculture and environmental sustainability, Water Resources Minister Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anne said on Friday.
As part of the programme, he said, the Ministry of Water Resources will soon send a special technical team to Jahangirnagar University (JU) to conduct surveys and prepare for the re-excavation of canals on the campus.
The minister made the remarks while addressing a doa and discussion meeting organised by Jahangirnagar University, marking the second anniversary of the July Uprising.
"The university's teachers and the vice-chancellor requested the re-excavation of canals. The matter has already been forwarded to the ministry secretary. A special technical team will soon visit the university to conduct the necessary survey and technical assessment," Anne said.
He added that following the assessment, the canal re-excavation project at JU would be implemented with funding from the Ministry of Water Resources. Necessary steps would also be taken to restore the university's lakes, he said.
He said the initiative is expected to boost agricultural production, improve irrigation, restore ecological balance, enhance inland water transport, create employment opportunities and help replenish declining groundwater levels.
Speaking at the event, JU Vice-Chancellor Prof Mohammad Kamrul Ahsan said people from different backgrounds had stood together during the July movement, but many were now facing difficulties due to what he described as "petty politics."
"We need to move away from this political culture," he said.
The program, chaired by the vice-chancellor, was attended by Pro-Vice Chancellor (Administration) Prof Md Nazrul Islam, Pro-Vice Chancellor (Education) Prof Shamsul Alam, Proctor Prof Zakir Hossain, teachers, and leaders and activists of the Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, among others.
