Staff Correspondent:

The government is sincerely working to find a sustainable solution to the persistent waterlogging in Bhabadah area of Jashore, said Environment Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan.

Rizwana made the remark while talking to the media at Bhabadah College after visiting the 21-vent sluicegate in Bhabadah on Tuesday.

“We have already initiated a feasibility study to address the problem in a permanent manner,” she said, adding that this year, despite challenges, around 17,000 hectares of the 20,000-hectare arable land have been brought under paddy cultivation.

She said the government is committed to resolving the issue in consultation with local stakeholders and experts. “Our aim is to at least begin the journey towards a lasting solution by taking people’s inputs and expert opinions into account.”

To mitigate the possible suffering during the upcoming monsoon, the government has undertaken several interim measures, including excavation of the Amdanga canal, he said.

“It hasn’t been widened as much as initially planned, but that would have required significantly more time,” she said.

“We’re also set to begin dredging the Hari, Bhadra, and Upper Bhadra rivers with the support of the Bangladesh Army to ensure water doesn’t stagnate like last year,” the adviser said.

Rizwana acknowledged that some natural factors are beyond control but assured locals that all efforts are being made to prevent further distress.

She said the Power Ministry has taken steps to exempt farmers from paying commercial rates for irrigation, offering relief to those whose lands remained submerged for five months.

Lt Gen (retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, adviser to the Ministries of Home and Agriculture; Farooq-e-Azam, adviser to the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief; Lt. Gen. (retd.) Abdul Hafiz, special assistant to Chief Adviser; Water Resources Secretary Nazmul Ahsan; Agriculture Secretary Dr. Emdad Ullah Mian; BGB Director General Maj. Gen. Mohammad Ashraful Islam; Brig. Gen. Mohammad Osman Sarwar of the 24 Engineer Construction Battalion were, among others, present.

Earlier, the advisers attended a military-led briefing at Nawapara Government College on the Bhabadah waterlogging crisis and potential solutions.