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Will protect country's rivers at any cost

Says state minister for shipping

UnB, Dhaka
State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury has said the country's rivers will be saved from encroachment and pollution, no matter what.
"Protecting rivers is a movement. I've taken it as a challenge. There'll be no compromise in this regard. I'll reclaim all rivers, including the four around Dhaka, and finish the demarcation work," he told the news agency in a recent interview.
When the government takes the responsibility of protecting something, it cannot fail, the state minister said, mentioning that the ongoing drive to reclaim rivers will be a success.
"Our drive [to save rivers] will continue against grabbers, irrespective of their identity," he said.
Taking about the four rivers - Buriganga, Balu, Turag and Shitalakkhya - around Dhaka, he said
different welfare-oriented projects have been taken to free those from encroachment and pollution as well as to bring back their navigability.
"We've already initiated a project to construct infrastructures, including walkways, jetties and boundary pillars, on the reclaimed river land."
Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) is implementing the project and a meeting has already been held with all stakeholders, he added.
The state minister said 152 acres of land have been freed in recent BIWTA drives. Also, work on the project, costing Tk 848.50 crore, has already begun and it will end by June 2022, he said.
The project includes a 52km walkway; 10,820 boundary pillars; 40km key-wall; 12km piling and tree plantation; three eco parks; two tourist-friendly parks; 0.3km RCC bridge; 105.12km railings; six pontoons; six excavators; 11 RCC
jetties; 38 spurs; 100 RCC stairways and 409 benches.
In the first phase, 803 boundary pillars will be constructed, the state minister said. A contract has already been signed to procure long-boom excavators and pontoons.
He said Dhaka will be protected by implementing Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's development projects. In addition, a community police force will be introduced to protect rivers.
Khalid Mahmud said the AL government is sincere about protecting rivers. "It declared to remove illegal structures when it came to power in 1996. However, BNP failed to protect the rivers when they were in power."
In the 2019-20 financial year, the shipping ministry is implementing 49 projects at a cost of 4,713.31 crore, the state minister informed.
Of the projects, 40 are under Annual Development Programme (ADP) while tfie rest are being financed by the ministry, he added.