Staff Reporter :
Bangladesh plans to construct dams strategically to mitigate flooding, Water Resources Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan announced on Sunday. She emphasized that the days of silence from the Bangladeshi government regarding India’s unjust actions in water sharing are over.
“The government will initiate the planned construction of embankments at strategic locations to prevent flooding.
Additionally, we are diligently working to repair the embankments and water regulators damaged in recent floods,” she stated while inspecting flood control structures in Sonagazi Upazila of Feni district.
Adviser Rizwana, who also oversees the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change, noted that fresh planning and surveys are underway to prevent future embankment collapses during floods.
The Water Resources Ministry and other agencies are taking swift action in this regard.
Furthermore, she affirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring a fair share of water from common rivers.
“The days of silence regarding the unfair sharing of river water are over. We recognize that river water issues transcend politics; they are also matters of diplomacy and economics,” she said.
Rizwana highlighted the negative impact of illegal sand extraction on embankment stability.
To safeguard the embankments, she announced plans to revoke illegal sand leases and halt extraction in affected areas. She called for collective efforts to protect national resources and pledged action against illegal river encroachments.
Present at the event were the Secretary of the Ministry of Water Resources, the Director General of the Bangladesh Water Development Board, the Deputy Commissioner of Feni, the Superintendent of Police, and senior ministry officials.
Earlier, the adviser visited damaged embankments in the bordering Nij Kalikapur and Ballamukha areas of Parshuram Upazila. During her visit, she expressed the need for India to provide timely flood data.
Additionally, she paid a visit to the family of Shaheed Ekram Hossain Kawsar, a victim of recent anti-discrimination protests, in Paglir Kul village, offering condolences and support.
She reassured the family that government financial assistance for the families of martyrs and the injured will continue.