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The government is likely to undertake a project worth Tk 1,781.39 crore to construct ‘innovative’ embankments using cost-effective and sustainable technology to protect the banks of the rivers Jamuna and Padma from erosion.
The project aims at developing an integrated structural and non-structural management to contain erosion and sustain the riverbanks. It is also expected to develop the livelihoods of people residing on the banks, reducing their poverty and help them achieve sustainable economic growth.
Developing the flood management system to lessen the damage of assets in another key goal of the project, a senior official of the Planning Commission told The Business Post.
The Water Resources Ministry has sent the project proposal titled ‘Flood and Riverbank Erosion Risk Management Investment Programme (Project-2)’ to the commission for approval of the executive committee of the National Economic Council, he said.
“We have discussed the proposal at the Project Evaluation Committee and sent it to the executive committee of the National Economic Council for the final approval,” said Ramedra Nath Biswas, a member of the Planning Commission.
He also said the project would help improve the livelihoods of people in the country’s most flood and erosion-prone areas like Jamuna and Padma riverbanks.
The government has already completed “Jamuna Meghna River Erosion Mitigation Project” to contain the erosion of the rivers from 2002 to 2011, he added.
Bangladesh Water Development Board will implement the project from June 2021 to June 2025. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will provide Tk 1468.14 crore and the government will arrange Tk 313.24 crore for the project.
The main activities of the project are the construction of riverbank revetments to protect vulnerable riverbanks and assets and flood embankments behind the riverbanks from progressive erosion, according to the project proposal.
The project features 30-kilometre riverbank protection structures and 7.9-kilometre flood embankments with climate-resilient design, it said.
Flood embankments will also be constructed with innovative protection structures.
The project will include training for communities to develop their capacity to manage flood and erosion risks, the proposals also said.
People in Bangladesh are often affected by natural disasters, including floods, riverbank erosion, drought, cyclones, and tidal surges that made essential flood and erosion risk management schemes for economic growth, livelihood improvement and poverty reduction in the areas affected by flooding and erosion.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh Water Development Board is implementing Flood and Riverbank Erosion Risk Management Investment Programme (Project-1). This project was started in April 2014 and was scheduled to be completed in June 2021.
