Flawed excavation project puts canal on deathbed

Gorer Khal, a 19.2-kilometre-long canal crisscrossing across Baniachong upazila of Habiganj, used to be a vital lifeline for the region's agriculture, communication and flood management.

However, it has long been on death bed due to illegal encroachment, pollution and siltation.

To revive this vital waterway, the Bangladesh Water Development Board launched an initiative to excavate across 31.6km of the canal and its branches at a cost of Tk 7.16 crore in 2022-23 fiscal year.

Around a year and half later, the canal's situation hardly improved, while the authorities concerned claimed they did as far as they could regarding the excavation project.

Local residents alleged the project has been implemented amid irregularities and misappropriation of funds, due to which the expected outcome could not be achieved.

"When the canal's excavation began, we had high hopes that the initiative will improve irrigation and navigation. Now, it's clear that the project was just a cover for looting public money. Not even half of the canal has been excavated, and the work that has been done was unplanned and ineffective," said Ataur Rahman Milon, a trader at Baniachong Bazar.

"The authorities engaged in corruption and mismanagement to misappropriate the funds while poorly executing the project," alleged Shipon Mia, a local resident.

Azizur Rahman from Sheikher Mohalla said instead of excavating the main canal, the project largely focused on digging the canal's branches, which was often unnecessary.

"Also, the excavation was conducted without defining the canal's location and evicting the encroachments," he added.

Fazal Mia, another local, said the soil dug from the canal was piled up along the banks, and was washed into the canal again after rains during monsoon.

"Hardly anything changed about the canal's condition. The excavation work did not cover even half of the canal's length. Some portions of the canal have completely disappeared due to illegal land grabbers encroaching on it," he added.

According to the project's plan, a total of 4,000 trees were supposed to be planted along the canal's banks, but locals said no trees were planted yet.

Shamim Hasnain Mahmud, executive engineer of BWDB in Habiganj, however, claimed it was not possible to excavate the entire canal due to various obstacles.

"About 70 percent of the canal has been excavated. We have done as far as we could. However, due to the poor quality of work, only 54 percent of the contractor's bill has been paid," he said.

"Since this is a nationwide river-canal excavation project, the remaining fund may have been allocated to other districts.," the official added.