Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is scheduled to visit Dinajpur tomorrow (Monday) to formally inaugurate a massive nationwide program for the excavation and re-excavation of rivers, canals, and other water bodies.

This ambitious initiative, which aims to improve irrigation, boost agricultural production, and strengthen water management across the country, is a key component of the current government’s election manifesto.

According to the Prime Minister’s Press Secretary, Saleh Shibly, the Prime Minister will depart from Dhaka by air on Monday morning, arriving at Saidpur Airport before traveling by road to the Balrampur Sahapara area in Kaharole upazila, Dinajpur.
There, he will officially launch the nationwide project by initiating the re-excavation of a 12-kilometer-long canal.

This program is set to be implemented in 54 districts during its first phase.

Simultaneously, ministers, advisers, the Chief Whip of the Jatiya Sangsad, state ministers, whips, and members of parliament will inaugurate the project in the remaining 53 districts.

The government plans to excavate and re-excavate approximately 20,000 kilometers of water bodies over the next five years.

Women and Child Affairs and Social Welfare Minister Dr. A.Z.M. Zahid Hossain, who inspected the Sahapara-Balrampur project site on Friday, stated that the 12-kilometer canal excavation will benefit roughly 350,000 people.

He highlighted that the project, implemented in coordination with the Ministry of Water Resources, the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, and the BADC, will provide flood protection, ensure irrigation during the dry season, and incorporate canal bank protection, dam construction, and tree planting.

Following the inauguration ceremony, the Prime Minister is scheduled to address a public rally at the site.

Later in the day, he will visit the Faridpur graveyard in Dinajpur to pay respects at the graves of his grandfather, the late Md. Iskander Majumder, his grandmother, the late Taiba Majumder, his aunt, the late Khurshid Jahan Haque (Chocolate), and other relatives.

The day will conclude with the Prime Minister participating in an iftar gathering with local dignitaries and political leaders.

The government has emphasized that this project is a renewed commitment to the principles of the historic canal excavation program initiated by the late President Ziaur Rahman.

By restoring these waterways, the administration aims to facilitate irrigation, boost fish and duck farming, and strengthen the canal-dependent rural economy, while also reducing dependence on groundwater to help mitigate the impacts of drought, floods, and waterlogging.