Govt moves to revive ‘dead’ stretch of Buriganga through Ati Khal excavation plan

The government has taken an initiative to recover and rejuvenate Ati Khal, a canal locally known as a “dead stretch” of the Buriganga River, in Keraniganj on the outskirts of Dhaka.

The move aims to restore drainage capacity, revive inland navigation and improve the local environment through large-scale excavation, according to sources at the Ministry of Water Resources.

Locally referred to as the “dead Buriganga,” Ati Khal flows through Keraniganj upazila. The canal is about 15.75 kilometres long, with a width ranging from 10 to 45 metres. It originates from the Dhaleshwari River at Char Akshail in Kalatia union and, after passing through several mouzas, falls into the Buriganga at Kholamora in Shakta union.

Officials concerned said rapid industrialisation and urbanisation have taken place along both banks of the canal over the years. However, due to the absence of proper waste management systems, industrial effluents and household waste have long been discharged directly into the canal. As a result, large sections have become heavily silted, significantly reducing water flow. Numerous illegal structures have also been built along the canal banks, leaving only stagnant pools of water in some areas outside the monsoon season.

Against this backdrop, the government is implementing the “Re-excavation of Shuvaddhya Canal and Development and Protection of Both Banks in Keraniganj Upazila of Dhaka District (Phase-1)” under the Ministry of Water Resources. The project is being executed by the Bangladesh Water Development Board. Its key objectives include removing illegal encroachments, re-excavating the canal, restoring internal navigation, improving water quality, and creating recreational facilities along the canal banks for local residents.

The project was approved by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) in August 2023 with an original estimated cost of Tk 3,175.9 million. A revised Development Project Proposal (DPP), approved on February 9 this year, raised the cost to Tk 3,533.7 million—around 11 per cent higher than the initial allocation. The project timeline has also been extended by one year, with completion now scheduled for June 2027.

According to the implementing agency, financial progress stood at about Tk 813.7 million as of January 2026, representing nearly 26 per cent of the total project cost, while physical progress reached around 17 per cent.

Sources at the Ministry of Water Resources said that during a nationwide canal excavation programme in the 1980s, late president Ziaur Rahman personally visited the area and joined workers in digging the canal. Later, in 1992, former prime minister Khaleda Zia inaugurated re-excavation work on Ati Khal. However, due to inadequate maintenance over time, the canal once again fell into a near-dead condition.

Officials of the Bangladesh Water Development Board said proper re-excavation and protection of Ati Khal would enhance irrigation facilities for agriculture, improve inland water transport, and significantly upgrade the environmental condition of the Keraniganj area. To ensure sustainability, they stressed the importance of demarcating canal boundaries and keeping both banks permanently free from encroachment.

Water Resources Minister Md Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anee is scheduled to visit the project area on Wednesday morning as part of the canal excavation programme.

On Tuesday, the minister asked the ministries concerned to submit their action plans within three days to ensure the canal excavation programme is visible and effective. He made the call at an inter-ministerial meeting at the Ministry of Water Resources at the Bangladesh Secretariat, convened to advance the nationwide river, canal and waterbody excavation and re-excavation drive.

At the meeting, the minister recalled the canal excavation movement initiated by Ziaur Rahman, noting that prolonged neglect of canals, inadequate irrigation and widespread waterlogging have intensified public suffering. He said the incumbent government would take all necessary steps for public welfare, stressing sustainable canal excavation, livelihood generation, biodiversity conservation and modern waste management strategies.

The meeting was attended by State Minister for Water Resources Forhad Hossain Azad, State Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries and Animal Resources Sultan Salahuddin Tuku, State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Mir Shahe Alam, and State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief M Iqbal Hossain, among others.

Forhad Hossain Azad said the government plans to excavate 20,000 kilometres of canals and plant 50 million trees over the next five years, in line with its election commitments. He added that the Ministry of Water Resources would lead implementation, with coordinated action by the ministries of Water Resources, Agriculture, Local Government, and Disaster Management and Relief.

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