Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has issued a formal directive to prioritize innovative, environmentally sustainable methods for mitigating riverbank erosion, specifically endorsing the use of vetiver grass to reinforce rivers, canals, embankments and transportation infrastructure.

This mandate was delivered during a high-level meeting held at the Secretariat’s Cabinet Division on Thursday, as confirmed by the Prime Minister’s Deputy Press Secretary Shahadat Shadhin.

The core of the discussion featured a technical presentation by Dr. Muhammad Shariful Islam, Pro-Vice Chancellor of the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) and a professor in the Department of Civil Engineering.

Dr. Shariful Islam demonstrated how vetiver grass serves as a viable, green alternative to traditional structural reinforcements like concrete blocks and geo-blocks.

His analysis underscored the plant's multifaceted utility in preventing the degradation of riverbanks and canal slopes, fortifying coastal dykes, stabilizing roadways in char (shoal) and haor (wetland) regions, and providing essential protection for railway embankments.

According to the findings presented, vetiver grass offers a durable and ecologically sound defense against soil erosion.

The presentation further highlighted that pilot projects utilizing this botanical solution at various sites across the country have already yielded highly encouraging results.

Building on this success, the meeting attendees deliberated on strategies to scale up the initiative through the launch of dedicated national projects.

Expressing strong support for such forward-thinking, eco-conscious interventions, the Prime Minister instructed all relevant ministries and government agencies to immediately commence the necessary administrative steps for nationwide implementation.

The meeting was attended by a broad delegation of government leadership, including Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdul Muqtadir, Water Resources Minister Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anee, and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam.

Also present were State Minister for Water Resources Farhad Hossain Azad, State Minister for Railways Habibur Rashid, Prime Minister’s Principal Secretary ABM Abdus Sattar, Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Rumon, and various senior officials representing key administrative divisions.