Terming haors, baors and wetlands the lifeline of the country, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday stressed the need for proper utilisation of these resources for the betterment of people.

She was addressing the first advisory council meeting of the Department of Bangladesh Haor and Wetland Development at her office.

“Proper maintenance of wetlands and utilisation of these resources have a very important role in protecting the environment,” she said.

PM's Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed reporters after the meeting.

Hasina said once upon a time, there was no tendency to create obstacles to the flow of the rivers and common rivers, but nowadays many countries are creating obstacles to free flow of rivers.

Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had first given directives for forming the Haor Development Board in 1974 which started work to ensure overall development of the people of haor areas, she said. “But after the assassination of Bangabandhu with most of his family members in 1975, there had been no development in this sector.”

According to the Department of Bangladesh Haor and Wetland Development, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on May 3, 2012 had approved in principle the Haor Master Plan. Under the master plan, some 26 projects have been taken up in nine sectors so far.

Yesterday's meeting also reviewed the progress of the completed, ongoing and future development projects under the Department as well as the progress in implementation of the Haor Development Master Plan.

Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury, LGRD Minister Khandker Mosharraf Hossain, Water Resources Minister Anisul Islam Mahmud, Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan, Land Minister Shamsur Rahman Sharif, Fisheries and Livestock Minister Muhammad Sayedul Hoque, Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal, Environment and Forests Minister Anwar Hossain Monju and State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid were present.