The government has taken up two mega projects involving over Tk 2,898 crore on re-excavation of rivers, rehabilitation of embankments and river bank protection across the country, Water Resources Minister Anisul Islam Mahmud told parliament yesterday.

He said the country lost over 1,800 sq km land due to erosion of the Ganges, Jamuna and Padma in the last three decades.

The government, however, has so far reclaimed 1,036 sq km land through dredging and building embankments along the Jamuna and Meghna, added the minister.

Anisul said a project titled "Rehabilitation of Embankments and Reexcavation of Rivers/canals" was

awaiting approval from the Planning Commission.

Under theTk 1,405 crore project, canals with a combined length of 3,000 km will be excavated or reexcavated. Besides, embankments with a total length of 5,850 km will be repaired or rehabilitated, he informed the House.

On the other project titled “River Bank Protection in Bangladesh", the minister said the Tk 1,493 crore scheme is aimed at protecting river banks and towns across the country.

He said over 2,400 km river banks are threatened by erosion every year.

A Tk 828.65 crore project styled "Flood and River Bank Erosion Risk Management Investment Programme" is underway for a permanent solution to the erosion of the Padma, Ganga and Jamuna, he noted.

On setting up Ganges Barrage, Anisul said the detailed design of the barrage was completed as per the feasibility study of the project.

FORCED RETIREMENT

Public Administration Minister Syed Ashraful Islam yesterday told the Jatiya Sangsad that the previous BNP government had sent some 42 government officials into forced retirement while the present government has forced five officials into retirement.

He said 301 women are working in the government administration as secretaries, joint secretaries, deputy secretaries and deputy commissioners.

The government has no plan for now to cancel the appointment of officials who were hired on contractual basis, added the minister.