Strict Message Against Corruption in Haor Crop Protection Embankments: ‘Zero Tolerance’ Announced by Water Resources Minister

Staff Report: PNN

Water Resources Minister Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Ani has issued a strict warning that no form of irregularity or corruption will be tolerated in the construction and repair of crop protection embankments in the Haor region. He said that the government will play the role of a vigilant overseer to ensure transparency in embankment construction and will follow a ‘zero tolerance’ policy.

On Friday, after inspecting ongoing embankment projects in various haors of Sunamganj, he spoke to journalists, urging rapid completion of work while following prescribed guidelines. He visited multiple haors across Jamalganj, Tahirpur, Madhyanagar, and Dharmapasha Upazilas. During the visits, he held discussions with local farmers, representatives, and officials.

The minister emphasized the haor region’s vital contribution to national food production and stated that sustainable, high-quality embankments are essential to protect boro-season rice. He noted that the Prime Minister regularly monitors the haor areas and field-level progress is reviewed under her directive.

Referring to past years’ complaints of corruption in embankment construction, the minister stated that lessons from past experiences have led to stricter oversight this year. Any negligence or evidence of corruption will result in action against the responsible parties.

Regarding rivers and canals, he mentioned that the government has initiated step-by-step re-excavation plans and will restore navigability using capital dredging where necessary. He called on officials, political leaders, activists, and locals to actively monitor the projects.

According to the District Water Development Board, 710 projects covering approximately 602 kilometers of embankments are ongoing across 12 upazilas in Sunamganj, with a scheduled completion between December 15 and February 28. Officials claim that most earthworks are nearly complete and overall progress stands at about 78%.

However, local farmers and haor protection activists allege that field progress does not match government reports, claiming many sites remain incomplete, posing risks for crops in case of floods or heavy rainfall.

Notably, after the devastating 2017 crop loss, changes were made to the embankment construction process. The contractor system was abolished, and projects are now implemented through Project Implementation Committees (PICs) involving local farmers. Each PIC carries out the project within a specified budget. Farmers hope that timely and quality completion will protect crops in this year’s boro season.