Shipping Minister Shahjahan Khan today said that, during the last eight years, the government has completed the dredging work of a total of 47 nearly dying rivers, Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) – National News Agency of Bangladesh said in their latest announcement.
The minister said this responding to a query made by treasury bench lawmaker Nizam Uddin Hazari of Feni-2 in the house, BSS reports.
Under this capital cleanup plan, the government finished dredging work on the following waterways: Alubazar-Haringhat of Meghna, Arialkha, Gomti, Kritonkhola, Kushiara, Brahmaputra, Mongla-Gashiakhali channel, Isamati, Mogra, Kongsa, Madhumati, Dakatia, Tetulia, Kalabadar, Jamuna, Hurasagar, Baral, Lohalia, Surma, Gabkhan Khal, Kaliganga, Titas, Daleshwari, Manumukh, Bhairab, Atrai, Lalmohon, Pona, Baulai, Sandya, Palong, Bishkhali, Sitalakhya, Turag, Laukhati, Mukhainagar Nala, Sailadaha, Kritinasha and Bhoradiga.
Khan recently said that the country’s rivers have been losing their navigability due to negligence of the previous governments, “ but the Awami League-led government is trying to restore the navigability of rivers”.
According to the minister, the present government bought 14 dredgers between 2009 and 2013 and is currently in the process of buying 20 more dredgers by 2019.