Tk 1,554cr project to revive dying Ichamati

Ichamati, once a mighty river and a major lifeline for Pabna residents, has long been struggling to survive due to pollution and encroachment.

Originating from the Padma, the 82-kilometre-long river flows through the Pabna district headquarters, eventually reaching the Hurasagar area in Bera upazila.

It has long been a cherished dream of Pabna residents to see the river revived to its former glory.

That dream may soon come true.

The government has taken a Tk 1,554.90 crore mega project aimed at "Rejuvenating River Ichamati". They have handed it over to the Engineering Division of Bangladesh Army to conduct the project work.

Bangladesh Water Development Board is the implementing authority of the project.

As part of the project, extensive dredging work will be conducted across a 33.77km stretch of the river, 44.07km long canals connecting it, 20km of Sutikhali river, and 12.37km of Bharara canal.

Also, numerous construction works will also be carried out, which include 10km retaining wall, 10km drainage, 23 new bridges, 56 ghats, and a 10km walkway on the riverbank.

A total of 42,310 trees will also be planted along this walkway.

"After the project is complete, Ichamati river will return to its former glory and will transform into a tourist spot, while also restoring river communication with Pabna," said Md Afsar Uddin, executive engineer of BWDB in Pabna.

SM Mahabub Alom, founder of a citizens' platform, said the connection between the Padma and Ichamati snapped over the decades, which reduced the river's flow. Taking advantage of it, encroachers occupied Ichamati's land on both sides over the years.

Additionally, rampant pollution has turned the river into a garbage dump, he added.

Facing demands from locals, BWDB earlier initiated a Tk 8.13 crore project to evict encroachers and dredge the river in 2021.

However, it was stopped following legal hassles, after at least 73 cases were filed by the encroachers. The cases are still pending with courts.

"The encroachers had prepared fake documents to show the river's land in their names, and constructed numerous structures," said Md Mosharaf Hossain, assistant director of BWDB.

"We have earlier identified 1,053 illegal structures that have been built, encroaching Ichamati's land, according to a survey by experts from Buet," he also said.

Shudhangshu Kumar Sarkar, the project's director and superintendent engineer of BWDB, said, "Ichamati was significantly disconnected from its mother rivers -- Padma and Jamuna. The project will restore the connection."

The project will be completed within three years, he added.