Water Resources Minister Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anee on Sunday said no canal excavation project would be halted under pressure from influential quarters, as allegedly occurred during previous unelected administrations.
“The government led by Tarique Rahman will not suspend canal excavation projects in the face of any obstacles,” he told reporters while visiting the historic Choukkar Canal in Sreepur upazila of Gazipur.
The minister said the Choukkar Canal was originally excavated during the presidency of Ziaur Rahman and emphasised the government’s commitment to restoring and protecting the country’s waterways.
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State Minister for Water Resources Farhad Hossain Azad, who accompanied him, said legal action would be taken against industries and individuals responsible for encroaching on canals and rivers.
During the visit, environmental activists campaigning for canal protection submitted a memorandum to the minister, urging stronger enforcement measures to safeguard natural water bodies.
The minister later inspected the Lablong Canal as part of his tour of the area.