Haors need extra care

President Abdul Hamid asked the authorities concerned to take extra care while planning development initiatives in environmentally delicate low-lying haor region, as he wrapped up a three-day visit in Kishoreganj, his birthplace.

"Climate change is now an important factor in development, so we must take pragmatic steps in chalking out development plans considering environmental features of particular areas," he told a views-exchange meeting with senior citizens, local representatives and officials yesterday at his hometown of Astagram.

He particularly drew everyone's attention to the haor region's topography saying no infrastructure should disrupt the natural water flows in the low-lying flood plains there.

"Haor people…witnessed massive development but the geographic features made the region largely unsuitable for mega (development) projects," he said.

Locals also highlighted various problems and sought the president's intervention to resolve those. The president said, "Since then I'm trying to do something good for you though I failed to do many things till date that gives me pain always."