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Published : 16 Mar 2026, 12:59 PM
Almost five decades after former president Ziaur Rahman dug the Sahapara Canal in Dinajpur in 1977, his son, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, has launched its re-excavation.
Following in his father’s footsteps, the premier kicked off the programme at 12:30pm on Monday, digging into the canal with a spade in hand.
Clad in a grey shirt, blue jeans, and a red and green cap, Tarique went down into the canal.
After he inaugurated the excavation work, a team of men and women began working on the other side of the canal with shovels and spades.
BNP leaders and activists, who had come to the rally site from far and wide, then broke out in applause. They also chanted slogans praising Tarique, commemorating the occasion and drawing parallels to his father's efforts.
Through the action in the Balrampur area of Kaharol Upazila, the head of the government also inaugurated a nationwide canal excavation and re-excavation programme -- a key part of the BNP’s election manifesto -- in 54 districts across the country.
The Sahapara Canal is 12.2km in length and is connected to the Punarbhaba River.
Before the inauguration of the canal re-excavation programme, Social Welfare Minister and Dinajpur-6 MP AZM Zahid Hossain said: "The regular people of this area are taking part in this canal re-excavation programme. The presence of the people is visible.
"All preparations have been completed. Now the public is waiting for the honourable prime minister."
The MP from Dinajpur-6 said, "If this canal is completed, about 31,000 farmers in this region will directly benefit and 3.5 million people will benefit."
"Not only that, if the Sahapara Canal is excavated, the waterlogging problem of this area will be solved and crop production will increase. Ultimately, these people will become economically self-sufficient. Fish farming, duck farming, and the restoration of greenery on both banks of the canal will help maintain the environmental balance. In short, agricultural production will also increase, which will have a positive impact on the GDP."
Zahid said, "As a follow-through of the BNP's election promise, canal excavation and re-excavation will be conducted throughout the country, a programme started by the late president Ziaur Rahman. The prime minister will inaugurate this program in 54 districts across the country today."
A rally is also being held in Ramchandrapur Union in Kaharol Upazila following the inauguration the Sahapara Canal-draining programme. The prime minister will take the stage and address locals.
Leaders and activists started gathering at the Balrampur venue in small processions from 8:30am. Villagers of Ramchandrapur Union, especially women, have come to see Tarique.
Ramchandrapur Union BNP General Secretary Anwarul Islam said, “Due to waterlogging in this area, houses and crops in low-lying sections are submerged during the monsoon. As a result, we suffer. If the Sahapara Canal is excavated, it will benefit us.”
Local Government Minister and BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Social Welfare Minister Zahid, Water Resources Minister Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anee, Disaster Management Minister Asadul Habib Dulu were among the cabinet members and other dignitaries at the event.
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman arrived in Saidpur by air from Dhaka. From there, he travelled by road to the venue in Balrampur. Along the way, traffic was congested on both sides of the road. Party leaders and activists crowded both sides of the road to wave to the prime minister.
Heavy security arrangements have been taken in the Sahapara Canal area for the premier’s visit.
20,000KM TO BE EXCAVATED
As part of its election manifesto, the newly elected BNP government is embarking on a massive priority programme to excavate and re-excavate 20,000km of rivers, canals, and water bodies across Bangladesh over the next five years.
The initiative draws on the success of the 1970s, particularly the “Ulshi-Betna” project in Jashore.
During that period, 193 canals covering over 675 miles were excavated, expanding dry-season irrigation from just 10 percent of land to 5.2 million acres and significantly boosting food and fish production.
The Ministry of Water Resources expects the new project to enhance agricultural capacity, increase surface water availability to reduce groundwater dependence, and mitigate drought, flooding, and waterlogging.
However, experts caution that these benefits will be short-lived unless the government addresses encroachment and pollution.
Despite concerns regarding potential corruption or local political interference, ministers have said maintenance and strict oversight will be prioritised to ensure the project’s long-term success.
State Minister for Water Resources Forhad Hossain Azad said the "Nationwide River, Canal, and Reservoir Excavation and Re-excavation" programme will be implemented through the financial coordination of the ministries of water resources, local government, agriculture, and disaster management.
The state minister noted that each kilometre of excavation or re-excavation is expected to cost the water resources ministry at least Tk 2 million.
"This is the potential expenditure for the water resources ministry and the Water Development Board. We are primarily leading this project, though costs for other ministries may vary slightly," he said.
While the project was initially planned using mechanical methods, Tarique has issued directives to increase public engagement.
The prime minister has encouraged authorities to employ labourers alongside volunteers to foster community involvement.
Forhad Hossain told bdnews24.com, "The prime minister has emphasised public participation. He wants manpower to be utilised alongside mechanical equipment, which will also create employment for many families. Volunteers will be appointed alongside paid workers, and the prime minister wishes for BNP leaders, activists, and followers to engage the public in this work."
While dredging and excavation projects were undertaken during the previous Awami League administrations, such initiatives were treated as distinct, high-priority programmes under the governments of Ziaur Rahman and Khaleda Zia.
Before independence in 1971, Bangladesh possessed a navigable waterway network spanning nearly 24,000km.
However, due to the continuous accumulation of silt and sand, this has dwindled to just 4,000km.
According to the 2022 annual report of the National River Protection Commission, citing Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) data, the country’s waterways extend to about 6,000km during the monsoon but shrink to a mere 4,347km during the dry season.
To combat this, approximately 22.67 million cubic metres of soil were excavated under maintenance dredging projects in the 2021-2022 fiscal year alone.
