FID, WB to discuss loan issue next week

The Financial Institutions Division (FID) is scheduled to meet a delegation of the World Bank next week to discuss a loan programme on a government project aimed at narrowing the width of the Jamuna River.

The meeting, set for April 10, will take place in continuation of bilateral negotiations in this regard, according to FID sources.

FID Additional Secretary (Project Management) Mofiz Uddin Ahmed will preside over the meeting with the WB’s Pre-Appraisal Mission at the conference hall of the division.

The meeting will discuss the issue of Bangladesh: Jamuna River Sustainable Management Programme with the representatives of the World Bank.

According to sources, the cost of the project has been estimated at Tk1,109.95 crore. Efforts are being made to take a loan of Tk896.37 crore from the World Bank for the implementation of the project while Tk213.58 crore will be financed by the government.

Through the project, the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) has taken the initiative to reduce the width of Jamuna River from 15 km to 6.5 km.

The Ministry of Water Resources has already sent a project proposal titled ‘Sustainable Infrastructure for Jamuna River Bank Protection and Risk Mitigation’ to the Planning Commission in this regard.

The project has already drawn severe criticisms from socio-political and environmental organisations.

According to environmental activists, the project proposal made is unscientific and unreasonable. Many have dubbed it a disaster due to lack of research.

They said if such an ineffective project is implemented in such a large river, it will increase the burden of foreign debt per capita. In addition, it will increase the risk of major natural disasters in near future. Mohammad Shahid Mia, president of the National Committee to Protect Shipping, Roads and Railways, said if the project is implemented without proper study, there will be no water flow in many areas due to the contraction of the river. Groundwater level will drop in those areas.

At the same time, agriculture, fisheries, biodiversity and ecology may be affected. In the future, the downstream environment of the Jamuna River and other structures, including the Padma and Jamuna Bridges, may be adversely affected.