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Published : 27 Apr 2026, 11:30 AM
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has inaugurated the re-excavation project of the Ulshi canal in Jashore to bolster local irrigation and water management.
He launched the work at 11:15am on Monday by using a spade to dig the earth in Sharsha.
Water Resources Minister Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anee, State Minister Forhad Hossain Azad, State Minister for Power and Energy Aninda Islam Amit, State Minister for Local Government Mir Shahe Alam, along with officials from the water resources ministry and the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB), were present during the inauguration.
The plaque at the site reads: “MP Tarique Rahman, honourable prime minister, has inaugurated the re-excavation work of Ulshi Canal (Zia Canal) in Sharsha Upazila of Jashore on the 27th of April, 2026.”
The nearly 4km canal, stretching from Ulashi to Jadunathpur, was originally excavated on Nov 1, 1976 through voluntary labour under then president Ziaur Rahman, and later came to be known as “Zia canal”.
The canal is now being re-excavated under the BWDB.
In a collection titled “Zia Keno Jonoprio” or “Why Zia is Popular”, essayist AKM Salek noted that before this initiative began in the 1970s, only 10 percent of the country's land had access to water during the dry season.
Following the canal-cutting programme, irrigation facilities expanded to at least 2.10 million hectares, which simultaneously boosted fish production, improved drainage, and aided river navigation, leading to a surge in food output.
The Ministry of Water Resources expects the renewed drive to play a pivotal role in agricultural productivity.
The project aims to increase surface water availability, thereby reducing the current over-reliance on groundwater for irrigation.
Emulating his father’s legacy, the prime minister launched a nationwide canal excavation and re-excavation programme covering 54 districts.
On Mar 16, Tarique formally launched the initiative at the Sahapara canal in Balarampur of Dinajpur’s Kaharol Upazila.
He later joined another phase of the programme on Apr 20 in Bogura’s Gabtali Upazila.
