The government has established a specialized 8-member cell to implement a comprehensive program for the excavation and re-excavation of rivers, canals, and water bodies across the country.
Mirza Abbas Uddin Ahmed, Advisor to the Prime Minister, has been appointed as the Chairman of this newly formed body.
The official notification regarding this appointment and the formation of the cell was issued by the Prime Minister's Office on Monday (February 23).
Composition of the 8-Member Cell
The high-level committee brings together key administrative and technical heads to ensure inter-ministerial coordination:
Chairman: Mirza Abbas Uddin Ahmed (Advisor to the PM).
Member Secretary: Secretary, Ministry of Water Resources.
Members: Secretaries from the Ministries of Land, Agriculture, Local Government, and Disaster Management & Relief.
Chief Engineer of the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED).
Director General of the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB).
Core Mandate and Responsibilities
According to the government gazette, the cell is tasked with several critical functions to revitalize the nation's water systems:
Integrated Planning: Formulating a unified action plan for the excavation of rivers, canals, and wetlands.
Inter-Agency Coordination: Synchronizing ongoing projects across various departments to avoid overlap and maximize efficiency.
Problem Solving: Reviewing excavation activities and providing necessary directives to resolve field-level bottlenecks.
Public Engagement: Launching promotional campaigns to increase community involvement in water body preservation.
Operational Authority
The notification grants the cell the authority to co-opt new members as needed through internal consultation. The Ministry of Water Resources will provide all necessary secretarial and logistical support to ensure the cell's smooth operation.
The order came into effect immediately upon its issuance, signaling the government's urgency in addressing water management and flood prevention through large-scale dredging and excavation.
