News Flash
DHAKA, May 31, 2025 (BSS) - Water Resources and Environment, Forest and Climate Change Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan today said the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) must establish closer ties with the people.
The BWDB must respond to complaints and applications received from the public, reassure them, acknowledge their grievances and take prompt remedial measures for their resolution, she said.
The adviser made these remarks while addressing a discussion titled 'Reforms in the Water Sector' on the occasion of the 53rd founding anniversary of the BWDB at the Multipurpose Hall of Pani Bhaban in the city.
She directed the chief engineers of all nine zones of the Water Development Board, along with other senior engineers, to regularly visit the field during this monsoon season. She also instructed the zonal chief engineers to strengthen field-level monitoring to ensure immediate response and minimize damage to people.
The adviser announced the formation of a task force ahead of the upcoming monsoon season. This task force, led by the secretary of the Water Resources ministry, will comprise the director general, additional director general and the nine chief engineers from the nine zones across the country.
This task force will identify areas requiring urgent intervention and work during the monsoon.
She stated that after the monsoon season, the Ministry of Water Resources will award the chief engineer among the nine zonal chief engineers who performs best and has no corruption allegations against them.
Adviser Rizwana mentioned that the action plan for freeing the Turag River from encroachment and pollution is nearing finalization, and they hope to officially commence the Turag River clean-up operation from next September. In this regard, the ADB has assured to undertake the beautification work of the Turag, she added.
The adviser said that they will finalize the plan for freeing the Buriganga, Turag, Balu, and Shitalakshya rivers from encroachment and pollution, ensuring that the next government can continue this work.
She also stated that they have developed an action plan to clean 64 rivers from 64 districts of Bangladesh. From this, they are finalizing the plan for 12 rivers in total, including seven rivers from seven divisions, the Bakkhali River in Cox's Bazar, and the four rivers surrounding Dhaka.
Furthermore, they will begin work to free the Labandah, Haridhoya, and Sutang rivers from encroachment and pollution, with funding allocated from the Climate Change Trust Fund.
Secretary of the Ministry of Water Resources Md. Nazmul Ahsan and Director General of BWDB Md. Tahmidul Islam, additional director general of BWD Mizanur Rahman and Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Water Resources Dr ANM Bazlur Rashid, among others, addressed the event.
