Highlights:
- Mirza Mamud Canal in Natore is being re-excavated only three years after previous work, sparking debate.
- Cost of the new project is 2.61 crore BDT, much higher than the 34 lakh BDT spent in 2022.
- Some officials question the necessity and call it potential misuse of government funds.
- Local MPs inaugurated the new excavation work, promising oversight to prevent irregularities.
Re-Excavation of Mirza Mamud Canal Sparks Debate
In Natore’s Gurudaspur and Baraigram upazilas, re-excavation of the Mirza Mamud Canal has caused widespread controversy. The canal, previously dug by the Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC), is now being re-excavated by the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) just three years later, raising questions about its necessity and the high cost.
New Excavation Project Details
The Excavation of Canal work was inaugurated on Monday (16 March) under the banner of BWDB by Natore-2 MP and National Parliament Whip Advocate Ruhul Quddus Talukdar Dulu and Natore-4 MP Abdul Aziz.
According to BWDB sources, the project covers 4.850 kilometers of the Mirza Mamud Canal, from the Nandkunja River to the dead Baral River. The canal is planned to be excavated to 4 feet deep and 6 feet wide, with a total cost of 2.61 crore BDT. The project is being implemented by the Rangpur-based contractor, Messrs United Brothers.
Previous Excavation by BADC
BADC officials say that in 2022, nearly 4 kilometers of the same canal were excavated in two phases at a cost of only 34 lakh BDT. The canal depth then ranged from 10 to 11 feet, removing approximately 42,390 cubic meters of soil. This restored navigability, and local farmers have been using the canal water for irrigation and other purposes since then.
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Officials Question Necessity and Cost
Md. Ziaul Haque, Assistant Engineer of BADC in Baraigram, said:
বর্তমানে খালটি পুনরায় খননের কোনো প্রয়োজন নেই। নিয়ম বহির্ভূতভাবে একই খাল অধিক ব্যয়ে পুনঃখনন করা হচ্ছে, যা সরকারি অর্থের অপচয়ের শামিল। বরং নাব্যতা হারানো অন্যান্য খাল খননে এই অর্থ ব্যয় করা উচিত।
Translation: “Currently, there is no need to re-excavate the canal. Excavating the same canal at a higher cost is irregular and amounts to waste of government funds. Instead, this money should be spent on canals that have lost their navigability.”
BWDB Executive Engineer Rifaat Karim could not be contacted. Sub-Divisional Engineer Emdad Hossain said he recently joined and was unaware that BADC had previously excavated the canal. He also did not know why the project cost is higher.
MPs Assure Oversight
When asked about re-excavating the same canal during the inauguration, Parliament Whip Ruhul Quddus Talukdar Dulu said:
স্বৈরাচার সরকারের আমলে খাল খননের নামে অনিয়ম ও দুর্নীতি হয়েছে। অনেক ক্ষেত্রে কাগজে-কলমে কাজ দেখানো হলেও বাস্তবে তা হয়নি। বর্তমান খনন কাজ আমরা তদারকি করব এবং কোনো ধরনের অনিয়ম হতে দেব না।
Translation: “During the authoritarian government, irregularities and corruption occurred under the name of canal excavation. In many cases, work was shown on paper but not actually done. We will supervise the current excavation work and will not allow any irregularities.”
Local experts say that instead of repeatedly excavating the same canal, planning projects based on actual need would ensure proper use of government funds.
Source: Face The People
