Experts at a meeting suggested developing a flood forecast system, taking a long-term agriculture plan, constructing and repairing dams and creating alternative employment opportunity in haor areas.
They made the suggestions on Wednesday while presenting a research report titled ‘Live and Livelihood of Haor People’ at CIRDAP auditorium in the city.
BRAC, Save the Children and World Vision jointly organized the meeting with Water Resources Minister Anwar Hossain Manju addressing it as chief guest.
State Minister for Finance and Planning Muhammad Abdul Mannan addressed the meeting as special guest while water resource management specialist Probal Shaha presented the study report.
Senior Secretary of Water Resources Ministry Dr Jafar Ahmed Khan, Director General of Directorate of Bangladesh Haor and Wetland Development Md Majibur Rahman, Deputy Country Director of Save the Children Ishtiak Mannan, BRAC representative Shyam Sundar and World Vision Director for Humanitarian and Emergency Affairs Dolan Josef Gomez, among others, addressed the meeting.
Anwar Hossain Manju said, “It is really very tough to develop the living standard of 16 crore people with the resources we have. We should minimize the wastage.”
“Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman gave us an independent country…Now it is our turn to go towards development,” the minister added.
State Minister Abdul Mannan said the living standard of the people of haor regions has changed significantly.
“The people of the region are now getting power at the directives of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina,” he added.
