Canal re-excavation brings hope to northern region farmers

Alongside various pro-farmer steps taken by the government, re-excavation of extinct canals through Barind Multipurpose Development Authority (BMDA) is reducing lifting of underground water and increasing use of surface water enhancing crop production.

“Re-excavation of extinct canals has freed vast land area from water-logging making those cultivable again enabling farmers to cultivate Aman rice after decades,” Member of Parliament from Kurigram-1 constituency Aslam Hossain Saudagar said on Thursday.

Saudagar, an Awami League lawmaker, said this in a function after inaugurating the newly-built Nageshwari Zonal Office Building of BMDA at Nageshwari municipal town in Kurigram as the chief guest.

The BMDA has implemented construction work of the building spending about Tk 90 lakh under its Expansion of Irrigation in greater Rangpur district through best uses of surface water and conservation of rainwater (EIR) project.

Nageshwari upazila Chairman Md. Mostafa Zaman, Mayor of Nageshwari municipality Md. Faku Hossain, Nageshwari Upazila Nirbahi Officer Farzana Jahan, Executive Engineers of BMDA Md Zinnurain Khan for Kurigram Region and AKM Mashiur Rahman for Rangpur Region, its Assistant Engineer for Nageshwari Zone Md Alamgir Kabir and Nageshwari Upazila Agriculture Officer Md. Shahriar Hossain attended the occasion.

Project Director of the EIR project and Superintending Engineer of BMDA for Rangpur Circle Engineer Md. Habibur Rahman Khan delivered a welcome speech narrating the goals of the project.

The project is being implemented in 35 upazilas of Rangpur, Nilphamari, Kurigram, Lalmonirhat and Gaibandha districts of greater Rangpur to ensure best use of surface water and conservation of rainwater.

“Under the project, re-excavation of 230-km canals and 129 beels and ponds, installation of 130 low lift pumps, 10 submerged wares, 20 foot over bridges, 10 office buildings and solar power-run dug-wells and tree plantation are being implemented,” Khan said.

Re-excavation of canals, beels and ponds has already started increasing water holding capacity alongside facilitating drainage, making waterlogged lands cultivable and stored water is being used for irrigation, poultry farming, fish farming and household activities.

Uses of surface water are expanding to decrease dependence on groundwater following implementation of the project making it possible to provide supplementary irrigation to 530 acres of land per kilometre of canal water.

“Stored water in re-excavated canals and water bodies will reload the groundwater table and promote agriculture to enhance food production also improving environment, ecology and biodiversity,” Khan added.

The chief guest visited the newly constructed office building, expressed satisfaction over the quality of its work and instructed the officials on implementation of the development programs by maintaining such quality standards.

“Following re-excavation of the extinct Boalerdara Canal by BMDA in Nageshwari upazila last year, a vast land area has been freed from water- logging and farmers cultivated Aman rice and got a bumper production this time after many years,” he said.