WDB officials to work in cyclone-hit areas during Eid holidays: Deputy minister

Deputy minister for water resources AKM Enamul Haque Shamim on Saturday said all the officials of the Water Development Board as well as public representatives have been instructed to continue rehabilitation work in the cyclone-hit areas even during the Eid holidays.

"Army have started work in the four worst-hit areas of Satkhira and Bagerhat since Friday. We have already canceled the leave of the officials concerned of the Water Development Board. They are still working with the public representatives and locals in a coordinated manner," he said while inspecting the progress of Naria river bank conservation work in Shariatpur.

The deputy minister noted that old dams will be transformed into super-dykes. "As part of the initiative undertaken by prime minister Sheikh Hasina, we are turning all the 40-50 year-old dams into super dyke."

He also mentioned that projects worth TK 38 billion are on 10 of 139 polders in the coastal areas are underway. "Six more projects will go to ECNEC soon."

Water Development Board chief Engineer Tofail Ahmed and project director Abdul Hakim were also present on the occasion alongside representatives of Khulna Shipyard and Bengal Group.

Referring to the labour crisis, deputy minister Shamim said, "Even in the midst of the coronavirus crisis, we have been carrying out project activities in Naria since 19 April with about 1,500-1,600 workers."

Later the deputy minister distributed about Tk 620,000 in 20 mosques and graveyards on behalf of the government at the Upazila Parishad auditorium.

He also distributed Eid gifts (food items) on behalf of the Bangladesh Awami League among more than 4,000 people of Naria upazila at the premises of Naria Shaheed Minar.