Expatriate Welfare Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury and Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir were present at a meeting with various administration officials at the Circuit House in Sylhet City on Saturday. Photo: BSS

SYLHET, Feb 28, 2026 (BSS) – Water Resources Minister Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Annie today asked officials concerned to make their sincerest efforts for flood management in deluge-prone Sylhet region implementing dredging and embankment projects in particular with accountability.

“Field-level monitoring is being intensified to ensure transparency in project implementation (for flood management),” he told reporters after a view exchange meeting with officials  along with Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury.

The commerce and expatriates' welfare ministers were elected to parliament from two constituencies in Sylhet. 

  Annie added that his ministry would strictly supervise the quality of work and adherence to deadlines of the projects underway.

  He said the hilly features of upstream cross-border areas of Sylhet exposed the region to frequent flood and particularly flash flood.
 
  “Several projects are underway to tackle this challenge, and some new projects are being undertaken. Necessary works that require urgent attention here will be carried out swiftly,” he said.

  The minister said the new government made its debut with a “zero tolerance” policy against irregularities since a huge amount of money was siphoned off the country and corruption gripped the nation like a disease in past years.

  He, however, acknowledged that making the country free from corruption was a tough challenge.

  “We are carrying out our responsibilities with sincerity so that whatever is needed for the people will be completed properly, InshaAllah. We will perform our duties in such a way that the works are accomplished successfully in a clean (corruption-free) manner,” the minister said.

He expressed hope that once the works were completed, the important projects in the Surma and Kushiyara zones would become visibly effective and people would understand that accountability was maintained. 

 Later, the ministers visited erosion-affected areas of the Surma River and Chengerkhal River in Sylhet Sadar upazila.