Haor Board Meets after Nine Years

Continuation of dev projects by successive govts stressed

23 May 2010, 18:00 PM

Unb, Dhaka

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has underscored the continuation of development projects by successive governments for the greater interest of the country as well as the people. “It is not justified that a development project undertaken by Awami League government will be scrapped by BNP-Jamaat alliance government… this is not acceptable by any means,” she said at the 2nd meeting of Bangladesh Haor and Wetland Development Board at the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) yesterday. The 2nd meeting of the board was held after long nine years with its chairman Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair. . The first meeting was held on April 29 in 2001 after the Board was formed on September 11 in 2000 during the previous tenure of the AL government. After that the Board remained ineffective. Press Secretary to the Prime Minister Abul Kalam Azad briefed the reporters after the meeting. Hasina said it is unfortunate for the people that the development projects that were taken during the previous AL government were not continued by the BNP-Jamaat alliance government. She said it is quite disappointing for the people that the governments would not ensure optimum use of the resources. Hasina termed the haor and wetlands a valuable resource. “We can use these haors and wetlands for preserving water during the rainy season for use during the dry season,” she said. She said these wetlands are also very useful for augmenting the groundwater level. “We've to save these haors and wetlands for the sake of our future,” she said. The PM emphasised farming fish, crabs, snails and oysters (jhinuk) in the haors and wetlands, saying that the environment and type of water in Bangladesh is quite suitable for this. “We can earn valuable foreign exchange by exporting crabs, snails and oysters as these have huge demand in the foreign markets,” she said. She also emphasised farming of vegetables on the water using special beds for the purpose. Hasina asked the authorities concerned to conduct a feasibility study to figure out the possibility of generating power using the water of haors. She also asked the ministries concerned to take steps for dredging to ensure smooth navigability in the rivers. The meeting decided to implement the decisions that were taken at the first meeting of the board. It was way back in 1974 that father of the nation Bangabandhu Skeikh Mujibur Rahman ordered formation of the Haor Development Board, but his directive remained unfulfilled for long 26 years until the board was formed by the AL government in 2000. Planning Minister Air Vice Marshal (Retd) AK Khandaker, Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury, Water Resources Minister Ramesh Chandra Sen, Land Minister Rezaul Karim Hira, Fisheries and Livestock Minister Abdul Latif Biswash, Principal Secretary MA Karim, PMO secretary Molla Waheeduzaman and PM's Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad were present at the meeting.