The government is actively pursuing a sustainable solution to the chronic waterlogging problem in Bhabadah area of Jashore, Environment Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan said on Tuesday.
Speaking to reporters after visiting the 21-vent sluicegate at Bhabadah and attending a stakeholder briefing at Bhabadah College, Rizwana stressed the government’s commitment to resolving the issue through inclusive and science-based approaches.
“We’ve already launched a feasibility study aimed at finding a permanent resolution,” she said. “Despite ongoing challenges, about 17,000 hectares out of 20,000 hectares of arable land have been brought under paddy cultivation this season.”
Rizwana noted that the government has been working in consultation with local residents and technical experts to ensure that the solution is both effective and sustainable. “We want to begin a journey toward a lasting solution with input from the people who are directly affected,” she added.
To alleviate potential suffering during the upcoming monsoon, she said several interim measures have been implemented. These include partial excavation of the Amdanga canal and the planned dredging of the Hari, Bhadra, and Upper Bhadra rivers. The dredging work will be carried out by the Bangladesh Army to expedite the process and prevent water stagnation, which severely impacted the region last year.
While acknowledging that some natural factors are beyond human control, Rizwana assured residents that every effort is being made to minimize future distress.
She also mentioned that the Power Ministry has taken steps to relieve farmers by exempting them from paying commercial electricity rates for irrigation—an important move for those whose lands were submerged for extended periods.
Among those present during the visit were Lt Gen (retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, Adviser to the Ministries of Home and Agriculture; Faruq-e-Azam, Adviser to the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief; Lt. Gen. (retd.) Abdul Hafiz, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser; Water Resources Secretary Nazmul Ahsan; Agriculture Secretary Dr. Emdad Ullah Mian; BGB Director General Maj. Gen. Mohammad Ashraful Islam; and Brig. Gen. Mohammad Osman Sarwar of the 24 Engineer Construction Battalion.
Earlier in the day, the advisers participated in a military-led briefing at Nawapara Government College, where they discussed the ongoing crisis and potential long-term solutions with local stakeholders.
