Speakers at a seminar in Dhaka on Saturday opined that the primary objective for development of Flood Control and Drainage (FCD) facilities was to establish condition for the adoption of high yielding variety (HYV) and fertilizer technology, reports BSS.

The speakers were addressing a seminar on "Impact of Flood Control and Drainage Projects on Bangladesh Agriculture," held Saturday afternoon at the seminar hall of the Institution of Engineers.

The seminar was jointly organised by the Institution of Engineers. Bangladesh (IEB). Dhaka Centre, American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and International Group (IG) Bangladesh.

IEB former President Engineer MFA Siddiqui attended the seminar as chief guest, and Prof Hamidur Rahman Khan of IEB presented the key-note paper on the topic while IEB. Dhaka centre Chairman Engineer A K Azad presided.

The discussion on the keynote paper was participated by a panel of experts including Arifur Rahman Khan of Bangladesh Water Development Board. Tutlar Rahman Khan, Chief Engineer, master plan organisation. Dr Kkzi Shahabuddin of Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS), D. Sajjad Rashid, of the Department of Geography. Dhaka University and Prof Alnun Nlshat. Department of Water Resources. BUET.

In his paper Prof H R Khan said FCD projcctsin Bangladesh did not produce noticeable benefits.

Listing a number of reasons for poor functioning of FCD projects Prof Khan said frequent breaches in embankments due to river erosion and public cuts had caused flooding in "protected areas."

Besides, he said, inadequate design standards and specifications for embankments along medium and minor rivers had also caused frequent failures to stop flooding