Bangladesh launches mega dredging plan for over 300 rivers

The government has massive plans to dredge all 310 rivers of the country to bring back navigability, control floods and ensure proper irrigation, Water Resources Minister Ramesh Chandra Sen told the House yesterday. While replying to queries of lawmakers who described the sorry state of many rivers, the water resources minister also said four mega projects worth about Tk 5,000 crore to this effect are under the process for approval. The projects are: the pilot capital dredging of river system in Bangladesh (first phase) worth Tk 1,445.51 crore, Buriganga recovery project worth Tk 1,514.95 crore, purchasing of dredgers and ancillary equipment for dredging rivers with a cost of Tk 1,593.68 crore and coordinated irrigation, extraction and flood control project worth Tk 378.52 crore.