Only two years after the Tk 46.25 crore re-excavation project of Bhadra River in Khulna’s Dumuria upazila, the river has once again been filled with silt. The amount of silt deposited on the riverbed is higher in the southwestern region. The project was supposed to build two sluice gates at Dighalia and Teligati at a cost of Tk 30 crore, but they were not constructed. The government and the water development board should learn from the lessions of the project, correct it and stop wasting public money in this way.
According to the Water Development Board, a project worth Tk 76.25 crore was approved at an ECNEC meeting in September 2016 to dredge 30 kilometres of Saltha and Bhadra. Later, other expenses were cut, and the cost was Tk 46.25 crore. The 2018-2019 fiscal was set as the implementation period. Twenty-one kilometres of Bhadra were excavated, which was completed in June 2019. The project also included connecting the rivers to different areas. Around 563 small and large installations on Bhadra, including three brick-fields, were demolished before the excavation. Bhadra used to be over 500 feet wide, but encroachers began to fill it up in the 80s.
This whole issue has led to the permanent closure of the area’s drainage system. Now, even a drizzle triggers water-logging. Locals also face a lack of water for irrigation. The river was vibrant even 20 years ago. Many people depended on the river for their livelihoods. It played an important role in the economic development process, contributing to transportation of goods and fishing.
At present, the canals in the area measure only 10-15 feet wide. The tide does not facilitate the flow of water like it used to. The marks left on the field suggest that paddy was planted last year on the flooded land on both sides. It has now turned into a plain land. Locals have started to grab the area again.
A new project worth Tk 1,819 crore has been sent to the department concerned for the excavation of small rivers and canals in the vicinity. Such wasting of money in the name of dredging should be avoided. Many WDB projects are usually notorious, we should avoid wasting projects.
