Build cross dams, dikes to reclaim new lands

The Dutch government representatives yesterday suggested building cross dams and dikes at specific areas to fetch part of huge sediments flowing into the bay for reclaiming new lands along coastal areas.
“Like the Netherlands, Bangladesh can also catch parts of its 2 billion metric tons of sediments coming from the upstream for reclaiming new lands to face future challenges,” Director General for Public Works and Water Management of the Netherlands Bert Keijts told journalists here.
The huge sediments, he said, should be turned into resources instead of looking those as wastes. He also suggested for building short but strong dikes at specific places at low costs to manage rivers and sediments.
Bert, who is now leading a Rijkswaterstaat delegation to Bangladesh, signed an agreement with Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) to continue Dutch supports for two more years under a Twinning Arrangement signed originally for eight years in 2000.
The agreement is focused on sharing knowledge for the mutual benefit of Bangladesh and the Netherlands, two deltas of Asia and Europe. The delegation will also visit the morbid Gorai and the 4.75 km long Jamuna bridge, longest infrastructure in the country.
The twining arrangement that extends an ongoing cooperation scheme between the two sides would arrange 250,000 euro annually for transfer of know-how and for joint research in both countries till 2009, a claim immediately turned down by a BWDB official. The arrangement would have no financial involvement, he said.
Dutch Ambassador Bea M Ten Tusscher and BWDB Director General Hossain Shaheed Mozaddad Faroque were present.