Published: 01:47 AM, 17 March 2026
PM opens nationwide canal excavation program
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman inaugurates a nationwide program to excavate and re-excavate rivers, canals, and water bodies in Sahapara, Kaharole Upazila, Dinajpur on Monday. -PMO
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Monday inaugurated the nationwide program to excavate and re-excavate rivers, canals and water bodies aimed at improving irrigation, boosting agricultural production and strengthening water management.
The premier opened the excavation of 53 canals across the country by initiating the excavation of the 12-kilometer Sahapara Canal in the Balrampur area in Kaharole upazila of Dinajpur district.
He formally launched the initiative by cutting soil with a spade at 12:27 pm. Later, he planted a sapling of a tree on the bank of the Sahapara Canal.
LGRD Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Social Welfare Minister Dr AZM Zahid Hossain, Water Resources Minister Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anee and Disaster Management and Relief Minister Asadul Habib Dulu and State Minister for Water Resources Forhad Hossain Azad were present at the event, among others.
Earlier, the Prime Minister arrived at Syedpur Airport by air from Dhaka and he later travelled by road to the program venue on the bank of the Sahapara Canal here.
The BNP-led government has undertaken the program in line with its election manifesto to excavate and re-excavate about 20,000 kilometres of rivers, canals, water bodies and reservoirs across the country over the next five years.
In the first phase, the initiative has been simultaneously launched in 54 districts across the country.
The Prime Minister took the program following the footsteps of his father, Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman, who had introduced a nationwide canal excavation initiative during his tenure.
The program played a significant role in boosting rural economy, agricultural production and irrigation facilities, and the current initiative is seen as a continuation of that effort.
After inspecting the Sahapara-Balrampur canal on Friday afternoon, Women and Child Affairs and Social Welfare Minister Dr AZM Zahid Hossain said that the excavation of this 12-kilometer-long canal in Sahapara will benefit about 350,000 people.
It will provide protection from flash floods and help ensure irrigation facilities during the dry season, he added.
Noting that the program will be implemented in coordination with the Ministry of Water Resources, the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief and the BADC, Dr Zahid said not only excavation, but also canal bank protection, dam construction and tree plantation programs will be taken up.
Arrangements will be made to use the canal water scientifically so that agricultural production increases and the economic condition of the local people improves, he added.
According to the brief of Sahapara Canal re-excavation project, the re-excavation work of the Sahapara Canal in Kaharole upazila of Dinajpur district is being implemented to improve water management, ensure irrigation facilities and reduce water logging in the surrounding areas.
The Sahapara Canal, located in Ramchandrapur union and Mukundapur union of Kaharole upazila, has a total length of 12.200 kilometres, including 7.950 kilometres of the main canal and 4.250 kilometres of branch canals.
The canal originates from the low-lying Panishail-Chapdia Kandar area in Mukundapur union and drains into the Punarbhaba River at Balarampur mouza under Ramchandrapur union.
The re-excavation work is being carried out at a cost of Taka five crore under a component of the "Climate Smart Agriculture and Water Management (BWDB Part)" project.
According to project sources, the canal is being excavated to an average depth of 2.05 metres. The average bottom width has been designed at 16.50 metres for the main canal and 5.00 metres for the branch canals. The excavation work is being conducted through both manual labour and excavator machines.
Officials concerned said the canal has remained unexcavated for a long time and gradually became silted up. The lack of upstream water flow also causes the canal to almost dry up during the dry season, depriving farmers of irrigation water.
During the monsoon, the reduced water retention capacity leads to waterlogging, damaging crops in nearby agricultural lands. The re-excavation of the canal is expected to bring significant benefits to the local community.
Once completed, the project will facilitate drainage of rainwater from nearly 40 square kilometres of surrounding areas, including Ramchandrapur union.
It will also protect about 15 square kilometres of low-lying agricultural land in Panishail-Chapdia, Bakultala and Jagannathpur areas from waterlogging, safeguarding Aman paddy crops.
Around 31,000 farmers are expected to benefit directly from the project, while nearly 60,000 metric tons of crops will be protected from potential damage.
The excavated canal will retain water, enabling supplementary surface irrigation for approximately 1,200 hectares of farmland.
As part of the environmental initiative, about 7,000 trees will be planted along both sides of the canal, which will contribute positively to the environment.
The project will also create employment opportunities for local people during the excavation work.
Officials said the initiative will help strengthen food security, reduce poverty and enhance fish and aquatic resources in the project area.
An estimated 350,000 people in the surrounding localities are expected to benefit indirectly from the project.
