Chattogram City Corporation Mayor Dr. Shahadat Hossain today inaugurating a new meeting room and a historic memorial plaque in Harla village of Chandanaish upazila. Photo : BSS

CHATTOGRAM, Oct 3, 2025 (BSS) - Chattogram City Corporation Mayor Dr. Shahadat Hossain today said that Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman's canal digging programme was a philosophy of economic liberation that promoted agricultural development and food self-reliance.

"The emphasis on agriculture, garment industries and human resource development is key to strengthening the national economy and overcoming present challenges," he said.

The Mayor made the remarks while inaugurating a new meeting room and a historic memorial plaque in Harla village of Chandanaish upazila. 

The plaque marks the site where President Ziaur Rahman was martyred in 1980 while overseeing the digging of the Barumati Canal.

As part of the inauguration, the Mayor also inaugurated the Barumati Canal, a component of Shaheed Zia's canal digging initiative aimed at boosting agricultural output and rural self-reliance. 

Dr. Shahadat highlighted the importance of prioritizing agriculture and a production-oriented economy to achieve economic freedom once again. 

He said Shaheed Zia's principles of patriotism, honesty and economic emancipation remain relevant today.

The Mayor noted that the canal digging programme not only popularized agriculture but also contributed significantly to the country's GDP growth.

Between 1979 and 1981, 279 projects led to the digging of approximately 3,636 miles of canals, significantly boosting agricultural output and fostering rural self-reliance.

Launched in 1977, Shaheed Zia's canal digging program aimed to store excess water during the rainy season and provide irrigation during the dry season, establishing a self-sufficient food model for the nation, he said.

Dr. Shahadat further noted that experts believe continuing the canal-digging programme could have reduced the impact of annual floods in Bangladesh.

Dr. Mohsin Zillur Rahman, Family Planning Secretary of the BNP Central Committee; Alhaj Md. Idris Mia, South District BNP Convener; Justice Abdus Salam Mamun, founding joint secretary of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal and Md. Ikhtiar Hossain, member of the South District BNP Convening Committee were present at the event.