Heavy rains, not damaged dams, to blame
Claims minister over haor floods
Water Resources Minister Anisul Islam Mahmud yesterday claimed that the country's haor regions, especially in the northwest, were submerged due to heavy rains, not because of the damage to any embankment.
"Excessive rainfall is the main reason for this year's flashflood in haors. Water flows over the embankments. It didn't happen due to damage to embankments,” he said.
The minister was addressing a seminar titled “Blue Economy: New Frontier, New Possibility” organised by Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) at its auditorium.
Describing flood as a regular phenomenon, Anisul said it struck early this year. "It's a big disaster for us. So, our first and foremost responsibility is to stand by the affected people."
Mentioning that the government took a tough stance on corruption, he said 12 officials under his ministry had already been suspended in connection with corruption. "We're strictly monitoring the issue. We've formed three investigation committees to look into the allegations of corruption, if any."
He also emphasised the importance of excavating and dredging rivers and taking up new plans for building embankments to maintain the natural flow of water, saying it could be a natural solution to the problem.
The minister mentioned that the assessment of the blue economic resources in the maritime zone using innovative technologies was an essential and potential sector to accelerate the economic growth rate to turn Bangladesh into a middle-income country by 2021.
He said local investors should come forward first and invite foreign investors to invest in this new potential sector.
Rear admiral (retd) Khurshed Alam, secretary (maritime affairs) of the foreign ministry, presented the keynote paper at the seminar.
Engineer Akber Hakim, coordinating director of DCCI standing committee on country competitiveness (New Economy-FDI, Branding, Big B, Blue Economy), and Golam Shafiuddin, additional secretary of Blue Economy Cell, spoke at the programme among other panellists.