Water, Food, and Prosperity: The Enduring Legacy of Zia’s Canal Digging Program

President Ziaur Rahman was a veteran freedom fighter & patriot of Bangladesh.

He fought courageously to liberate Bangladesh from Pakistani aggression and devoted himself to building an independent, prosperous, and developed nation.

Among his many initiatives, canal digging program was a historic one launched in 1976. Designed to re-excavate silted waterways, it mobilized rural communities especially to boost agricultural production, improve irrigation, and increase employment through “food-for-work”.

At a time when the country was struggling to recover from the devastation of war, poverty, food shortages, and inadequate infrastructure, President Zia recognized that sustainable development depended heavily on the proper management of the nation’s natural resources.

Water resource is one of them. Bangladesh is a riverine country blessed with numerous rivers, canals, and water bodies. For centuries, canals played a crucial role in agriculture, transportation, drainage, and fisheries.

However, many canals had gradually become clogged with silt and weeds due to neglect and lack of maintenance. As a result, water flow was disrupted, irrigation became difficult, and many agricultural lands suffered from either drought or waterlogging. Recognizing these challenges, President Zia launched a nationwide canal excavation and re-excavation program to revive the country’s traditional water management system.

In that time, rural farmers were critically suffering for shortage of water in their irrigation system especially in dry season.

Modern irrigation tools, education to drive them, shortage of capital affected them very much. Canals were silted for long time & the normal flow of the rain water was disrupted. Water reservoir was impossible for not proper canal digging or excavating.

People got a small amount of water to irrigate their crop field. They were unable to purchase or acquire shallow or deep-tube well for lack of money.

For this reason, when Zia helmed the country after the assassination of the then President of Bangladesh Sheikh Mujibur Rahman took the plan for rural & national development. One of the primary objectives of the program was to increase agricultural productivity.

During the 1970s, Bangladesh faced recurring food shortages and low crop yields. Agriculture was the backbone of the economy, employing the majority of the population. By restoring canals and improving water distribution, farmers gained greater access to irrigation during the dry season.

This enabled them to cultivate more land and grow multiple crops throughout the year. Increased irrigation also supported the adoption of high-yield crop varieties, contributing to greater food production and enhanced food security.

The canal digging initiative was also remarkable because of its strong employment-generation component.

Through the “food-for-work” program, thousands of unemployed and underemployed rural people participated in canal excavation projects.

Instead of receiving cash wages, workers were compensated with food grains, which helped alleviate hunger and poverty among vulnerable households.

This approach addressed two critical national challenges simultaneously: rural unemployment and food insecurity.

It also ensured that development projects directly benefited the poor and marginalized sections of society. Another significant benefit of the canal program was its contribution to rural development. Improved canals facilitated better drainage during the monsoon season, reducing the risks of flooding and waterlogging in many areas.

Better water management enhanced agricultural efficiency and increased rural incomes. In some regions, restored waterways also improved local transportation and communication, allowing farmers to move goods more easily to markets.

The program, therefore, created positive economic effects that extended far beyond agriculture alone.

The initiative reflected President Ziaur Rahman’s practical and people-centered approach to development. Rather than relying solely on expensive, large-scale projects, he emphasized community participation and local resource mobilization.

Rural communities were encouraged to become actively involved in the excavation and maintenance of canals. This fostered a sense of ownership and collective responsibility among local residents.

The program demonstrated how grassroots participation could contribute effectively to national development goals. From an environmental perspective, the canal digging program was ahead of its time.

Today, climate change, water scarcity, and environmental degradation have become major global concerns.

Efficient water management is increasingly recognized as a key factor in ensuring agricultural sustainability and climate resilience.

The restoration of canals helps conserve water resources, recharge groundwater, improve biodiversity, and reduce the adverse impacts of floods and droughts.

In many respects, President Zia’s initiative anticipated modern concepts of sustainable development and environmental management.

The long-term significance of the canal digging program remains highly relevant today. Many parts of Bangladesh continue to face challenges related to silted waterways, declining water retention capacity, seasonal flooding, and irrigation shortages.

As the country seeks to strengthen its food security and adapt to climate change, the lessons of the 1976 canal excavation campaign deserve renewed attention.

Reviving and expanding canal restoration projects could once again provide substantial benefits for agriculture, rural employment, environmental conservation and economic development.

Critics and observers may differ in their assessments of various political leaders and policies. However, there is broad recognition that the canal digging program represented an important effort to address practical development challenges through innovative and community-based solutions.

It reflected a clear understanding of Bangladesh’s geographic realities and the central importance of water management to national prosperity.

This program was not political or party affiliated or motivated. It was a dream & farsighted program for national development by late President Zia.

By re-excavating silted waterways, improving irrigation, generating employment through food-for-work schemes, and promoting agricultural growth, the program helped improve the lives of millions of rural people.

Its emphasis on self-reliance, community participation, and sustainable resource management continues to offer valuable lessons for policymakers today.

As Bangladesh faces new development and environmental challenges, the vision behind this remarkable initiative remains as relevant as ever.

The new government led by Tarique Rahman, the worthy son of late President Zia, who have adorned the throne as Bangladesh’s Prime Minister by majority mandate of the people again revives the canal digging program for national development.

It is praiseworthy and we all welcome as well as appreciate this initiative by Tarique Rahman, and hope to materialize the development programs of the nation.

(The writer: a columnist, can be reached e-mail:creativewritermuzibur@gmail.com)