Red carpet rolled out for 3 advisers to inaugurate Dhaka canals reclaim work
A red carpet was rolled out for three advisers to the interim government to inaugurate reclaim work of six canals in Dhaka South and North cities on Sunday.
The inauguration event was arranged on the road adjacent to the Baunia canal in the Rupshi Pro-Active Village Residential Area of Mirpur-13 in the morning to open the renovation work of six canals under the two Dhaka city corporations.
Environment, Forest and Climate Change and Water Resources Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Housing and Public Works and Industries Adviser Adilur Rahman Khan and Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives and Youth and Sports Adviser Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain attended the event.
A floating excavator was set up on the canal prior to the event. A makeshift walkway was set up connecting to the bank of the canal with the floating excavator and a red carpet was rolled out on it.
After the event, the three advisers and other officials walked the way and reached the excavator. When they got on it the machine started and the renovation work opened. The excavator then removed soil several times. After that the advisers got off the excavator and spoke to the journalists.
A newsperson asked Syeda Rizwana Hasan, “We used to see previous city mayors arrange such grandiose inauguration. Probably no red carpet was rolled out for them but today we saw you walk on the red carpet to reach the canal.”
Hearing the question, Syeda Rizwana Hasan smiled and said, “I did not notice it. Have you noticed it?”
Replying to another query, Syeda Rizwana Hasan said, “We will start working to make four rivers of Dhaka city free from pollution this February. South Korea, China, UK and Nepal – no country could make river pollution-free that much before 10 years. We will finalise an action plan detailing what will be done in the first, second and third year.”
She stated that a delegation of the Asian Development Bank will arrive in Dhaka on 16 February and they will share experiences on reclaiming three rivers in Nepal, Indonesia and China. Pollution was mapped using GPS and a three to five-meter thick layer of polythene was found under the rivers.
Initiative on renovation of six canals in Dhaka South and North cities has been taken to do environmental, economic and social development in citizen lives through recovery and effective management of all water bodies in Dhaka and surrounding areas, she added.