Habiganj, Aug 26 (V7N) - The government will undertake a permanent project to prevent recurring floods and minimise damage caused by breaches of the Khowai River embankment in Habiganj, State Minister for Water Resources Farhad Hossain Azad has said.
He made the remarks on Tuesday (Aug 25) while inspecting the Khowai River embankment in the Kaliganj area of Laskarpur Union under Habiganj Sadar upazila. The minister visited the area after a section of the embankment breached for the second time within one and a half months.
“The government is taking various projects as a priority to ensure that Habiganj is not inundated by floods,” Azad said. “We will begin implementing those projects after the current monsoon season.”
He said Jatiya Sangsad Whip and Habiganj-3 MP G K Gaus had informed Prime Minister Tarique Rahman about the damage caused by the repeated breaches of the Khowai embankment. The inspection was conducted following the prime minister’s instructions.
The state minister said the government would take steps towards a permanent solution so that repeated embankment breaches do not cause further suffering and damage to local residents.
He also said experts would determine whether the construction of a barrage or installation of a sluice gate would be necessary, based on technical assessments. An expert team has already visited the site to assess the current condition of the Khowai River embankment.
The state minister also spoke about Bangladesh’s relations with neighbouring countries, saying Bangladesh, as an independent and sovereign country, wants to maintain friendly relations with all its neighbours.
“However, no region’s people should be left vulnerable to flooding because of the release of water through a gate,” he said, adding that such incidents could make it difficult to maintain friendly relations.
Jatiya Sangsad Whip and Habiganj-3 MP G K Gaus, Habiganj-2 MP Dr Sakhawat Hasan Jibon, Habiganj Deputy Commissioner Dr G M Sarfaraz, Bangladesh Water Development Board Executive Engineer Sayedur Rahman and other officials were present during the inspection.
G K Gaus expressed regret over the suffering caused to local residents by the Khowai embankment breach. He assured residents that repair work on the damaged section would be completed within 15 days.
He said the district administration and officials of the Bangladesh Water Development Board would regularly monitor the quality and progress of the work.
Gaus also alleged that people associated with media outlets holding different political views were attempting to mislead the public over the embankment breach.
He claimed that some were trying to damage the image of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party by presenting what he described as misinformation. However, he said the BNP did not believe in political vengeance and wanted to build a Bangladesh based on the aspirations of those who had sacrificed their lives.
The government has recently emphasised long-term measures alongside emergency embankment protection and riverbank management to reduce the impact of future floods and erosion.
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