Re-excavating canals and ponds  

It is indeed quizzical that existing canals and ponds are being filled up to build houses or commercial plots while alluvial agricultural lands are being destroyed to make new commercial ponds for fisheries as crops grown there do not even meet the cost of production. If such a trend continues, environmentalists fear that in these days of climate change, Bangladesh will face a disaster. This is because wetlands or water bodies form a critical part of our ecosystem with diverse animal and plant life. Unfortunately, because of a lack of environmental consciousness and public education or awareness, wetlands such as haors, lakes, beels and marshes are systematically degraded and/or eliminated in Bangladesh by residential and commercial real-estate development projects.

Wetlands perform rather important functions, including flood protection. Their sponge-like soil composition allows quick absorption of rainwater and can naturally prevent waterlogging, which is nowadays a bigger problem than flooding in Dhaka, Chittagong and other major cities. Infilling of wetlands to build or expand malls, shops/residential buildings in any city of Bangladesh could be costly and severely detrimental to the long-term environmental goals of Bangladesh.

The Cabinet has recently approved the 'Countrywide ponds and canals development project' with an estimated cost of Taka 13.34 billion. Sceptics doubt whether it will be properly implemented given the alarming corrupt practices in executing such projects. Even the Prime Minister has sounded a note of warning in this regard. Sheikh Hasina directed the authorities concerned to enforce strict monitoring during the implementation of the project. The Prime Minister also suggested for associating the local public representatives, including MPs, Upazila and Union Parishad Chairmen, to ensure smooth implementation of the project.

However, the project has a great importance. It is purported to preserving surface water through development and re-excavation of ponds and canals. The Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) under the Local Government Division will implement the ponds and canals development project by June 2023 at 400 upazilas under 56 districts of eight divisions. The Integrated Water Resources Management Unit under the LGED made a district-wise list of ponds and canals after making in-field inspection. As per that survey, there are some 14,910 khas ponds, 3,493 institutional ponds and 6,536 Khas canals across the country. Out of that, there will be re-excavation of some 921 Khas canals (2,372 kilometres), re-excavation of some 1,611 institutional ponds (1,702 acres).

It is expected that successful implementation of the project would help preserve surface water, improve drainage system, improve forest management through tree plantation and thus strike balance in environment, and help handle flood water and excess rain water.

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