Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will inaugurate a nationwide program for the excavation and re-excavation of rivers, canals, and water bodies. The program will be launched on March 16 in Kaharol Upazila, Dinajpur.
State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives, Mir Shahe Alam, confirmed this information to journalists after a meeting with the Prime Minister at the Secretariat on Tuesday (March 10).
Alongside the Prime Minister’s inauguration on March 16, ministers and members of parliament in 54 other districts across the country will simultaneously launch the program with local administrations. This massive undertaking will be implemented through the coordinated efforts of the Ministries of Water Resources, Local Government, Disaster Management, and Agriculture.
The State Minister stated that this is not merely a development project, but a significant political commitment to change the destiny of common people.
State Minister Mir Shahe Alam said that the Prime Minister has given clear instructions to minimize the use of machinery and ensure that at least 60 to 70 percent of the work is carried out by ordinary laborers. This will create significant employment opportunities in the rural economy.
The Prime Minister emphasized involving not only laborers but also high school and college students, along with volunteer organizations, in this program. Necessary directives have been issued to the relevant ministries to provide opportunities for the younger generation to directly participate in this noble initiative of nation-building.
The government has taken a strict stance to curb the past practice of embezzlement under the guise of canal excavation projects. In this regard, the State Minister stated that increased public involvement would reduce opportunities for irregularities. This time, local ministers and MPs will directly supervise the work on the ground. He claimed that corruption would become impossible when the general public oversees the work firsthand.
