Photo: Collected

DHAKA, May 8, 2026 (BSS)- The suffering of over 10 lakh people living in the waterlogged areas of Bhabodah in Jashore district is expected to ease this year as 55 percent of the re-excavation work of six rivers in the area has already been completed, officials said. 

B M Abdul Momin, Superintendent Engineer (SE) of Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB), Khulna region, told BSS that over 100 excavators have been engaged in dredging the riverbeds. The number of excavators was 109 on May 4 and 112 on May 5, he said.

Over 80 percent of the re-excavation work of the rivers will be completed by June 30 this year and the rest by next June as the BWDB has already sent a proposal to the Planning Commission seeking a one-year extension of the project period, Abdul Momin, who is also the project director (PD), said.

People of Manirampur, Keshabpur, Abhaynagar and parts of Jashore Sadar upazila have been suffering from waterlogging for the last few decades.

The government has undertaken the Taka 140 crore project for re-excavating 81.5 kilometres of six rivers in the region under the supervision of the Bangladesh Army to remove the long-standing waterlogging problem in the area.

The project began late last year under the supervision of the Corps of Engineers of Bangladesh Army at Jashore Cantonment. However, the re-excavation work has been delayed due to heavy rainfall in the region this year and a recent diesel shortage, Abdul Momin said.

Polash Kumar Benarji, Executive Engineer (Ex-En) of BWDB Jashore, told BSS that there is little possibility of waterlogging in the Bhabodah area during the upcoming rainy season due to the elaborate programme undertaken by the government to mitigate the problem.

"Over 80 percent of the re-excavation project will be completed by June 30 this year and we are now clearing 29 out of 33 sluice gates in the Bhabodah area before the onset of the monsoon," he said.

Four high-capacity (35-cusec) irrigation pumps were installed at the 21-vent sluice gates a few years ago for pumping out stagnant water, but those were not sufficient.

Benarji said five more pumps would be installed there while three additional pumps would be installed at the three-vent sluice gates at Beel Khukshia for the same purpose.

Besides, all connecting canals in the area will be cleared to ensure the smooth flow of water from upstream to downstream, he said, adding that an electric substation would also be set up there to ensure uninterrupted electricity supply to the pumps.