Take steps to stop anomalies in Water Development Board's projects: JS body to water ministry

A parliamentary committee on Tuesday recommended the Water Resources Ministry to take steps against institutional corruption and anomalies of the Bangladesh Water Development Board to end delay and ensure transparency, accountability in the implementation of its projects.

The parliamentary watchdog also suggested the ministry to use sustainable technology in construction of dams and adopt sustainable measures to build eco-friendly dams and prevent salinity intrusion in the coastal areas.

The parliamentary committee on public undertakings came up with the recommendations in its 20th meeting chaired by its chairman ASM Feroz in the Parliament, said a press release.

The issues including the ongoing dam construction projects the Water Development Board (WDB) is implementing in the coastal areas of the country's southern region, steps taken by WDB in tackling floods, protecting different cities, markets, houses and important places from river erosion, preventing salinity intrusion in the coastal areas, mitigating desertification, and 10-year audit objections of the water board came up for discussion in the meeting.

In the meeting, the committee recommended the Water Resources Ministry to take steps for digging canals by a single agency in a bid to avoid incoordination and management complications due to the digging of canals by different agencies.

The parliamentary body suggested the ministry strengthen the ongoing activities to prevent river erosion by adopting a long-term plan in this regard.

Besides, the committee recommended the ministry to take proper measures to convene a tripartite meeting to settle the last 10-year audit objections of the water development board.

At the outset of the meeting, the committee members paid tributes to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib and other martyrs who were assassinated in the dark night of August 15, 1975, the victims of the August 21, 2004 grenade attack, the four national leaders, and all the martyrs of the Liberation War and the Language Movement.

Committee members Mostafizur Rahman, Narayon Chandra Chanda, Mahbubul Alam Hanif and Naheed Ezaher Khan attended the meeting.

The officials, including water resources secretary from the Water Resources Ministry, the water development board, and representatives of the comptroller and auditor general were present.