The government has prioritised canal excavation as a major national programme, aiming to address multiple interconnected objectives including monsoon waterlogging reduction, groundwater recharge, irrigation support through natural pocket water bodies, environmental balance, and employment generation in rural economies.
Under this initiative, the government has set a target to excavate 20,000 kilometres of canals over the next five years. Given the historical and cultural association attached to canal digging in the country, the programme was formally inaugurated on 16 March 2026 in Kaharol upazila of Dinajpur by the head of government.
Economists view canal excavation as a form of social safety net, as it generates temporary employment opportunities in rural areas. However, water resources specialists argue that canal excavation and river dredging must be implemented in a complementary manner. They emphasise that, from a strategic standpoint, river dredging should precede canal excavation.
According to water experts, undertaking canal excavation without ensuring adequate river flow is comparable to “creating veins in a bloodless body.” In this analogy, rivers are considered the primary source of water. If the source remains inactive or depleted, canals alone cannot retain water during the dry season. Similarly, if monsoon runoff cannot properly enter rivers due to sedimentation and reduced carrying capacity, canal excavation alone cannot effectively resolve local waterlogging.
Experts therefore stress that integrated river dredging and canal excavation is essential to achieve sustainable results. Rivers are described as the lifeline of Bangladesh, forming the foundation of its water management system.
Following independence, in 1972, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, recognising the importance of river dredging, procured seven dredgers from abroad. These were acquired from the Netherlands under soft loan, grant, and technical assistance arrangements in the post-war reconstruction period. Several of those dredgers are still operational today.
In 1974, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman further institutionalised river maintenance by establishing a separate dredger directorate under the inland water transport authority. Liberation War sector commander Colonel Abu Taher was appointed as its director, and the headquarters was established in Narayanganj.
Until 2008, the number of government-owned dredgers remained below ten, meaning that for approximately 35 years after 1972, no significant dredger procurement took place in the public sector. In contrast, the present capacity has expanded significantly. The Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) now operates around 80 dredgers. By 2022, 73 new dredgers had been added to the state fleet.
The private sector has also become active in river dredging operations, with private operators currently owning around 171 dredgers. Combined, public and private capacity is able to meet only about half of the country’s annual dredging requirement, estimated at 165.51 million cubic metres.
Under the Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100, maintaining major rivers is regarded as a national security priority. In line with this long-term framework, a large-scale dredger procurement programme was undertaken in 2016, including the acquisition of 11 dredgers.
In 2024, a river dredging project remained ongoing, with a budget allocation of 4,489 crore taka. This project included the procurement of 35 dredgers. During the final years of the administration of Sheikh Hasina, 35 additional dredgers were also acquired from China under domestic financing and supplier’s credit arrangements, with concessional terms including an interest rate of less than 2%, a five-year grace period, and repayment over 20 years.
Additionally, under the Delta Plan 2100, the Netherlands provided approximately four million euros in grants and technical assistance, with water management identified as a key area of cooperation.
Experts emphasise that only through coordinated river dredging and water management alongside canal excavation can the full benefits of the programme be achieved. Without such coordination, the canal excavation initiative may create temporary rural employment, but is unlikely to deliver long-term structural benefits.
They further note that even in the Haor region, river dredging is essential for protecting crops. Annual temporary embankments alone are insufficient for crop protection. Sedimentation has raised riverbeds significantly due to silt accumulation from upstream flows. Increasing river depth is considered necessary to prevent uncontrolled flooding of low-lying Haor areas, as reduced river capacity means embankments alone cannot prevent water ingress during heavy flow conditions.
Author: Professor Dr. Mijanur Rahman
Professor, University of Dhaka