Water Resources Minister Md Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anee addressed a meeting as the chief guest at the Dinajpur Deputy Commissioner's office on Sunday. Photo: BSS

DINAJPUR, Mar 8, 2026 (BSS) - Water Resources Minister Md Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anee today said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will formally inaugurate the canal excavation programme in the country by re-excavating a canal involving a cost of Tk 5 crore in Sahapara area of Kaharol upazila here on March 16.

The minister made the remarks while addressing a meeting at Deputy Commissioner's office after inspecting a canal in Balrampur Sahapara, Kaharol upazila of the district, this afternoon.

Speaking as the chief guest, Anee said this important programme will be taken forward as per the people's demand by digging canals in the country. 

He recalled that BNP founder Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman took the initiative to dig abandoned waterbodies and rivers in the country to maintain environmental balance and increase agricultural yield.

He said for the welfare of the country's people and to address climate change impacts, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has stressed the importance to the issue of canal excavation after assuming the responsibility of running the country. 

A plan has been taken to dig and re-excavate 20,000 kilometres of canals in the country within the next five years, the minister said.

As per the instructions of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, the plan will be implemented to move the canal excavation programme forward at a rapid pace, he said. 

"If water can be retained through canal excavation, people in all areas of the country will mainly get easy irrigation facilities. It will benefit the cultivation and production of all crops," Anee said.

This preparatory meeting was held at the conference room of the Dinajpur Deputy Commissioner's Office on the occasion of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's upcoming visit to Dinajpur. 

State Minister for Water Resources Forhad Hossain Azad and Water Resources Secretary Dr AKM Shahabuddin also spoke.

Dinajpur-1 MP Monjurul Islam, Dinajpur-2 MP Sadique Reaz, Dinajpur-3 (Sadar) MP Jahangir Alam and district BNP leaders were present, among others.