DHAKA, Sept 25, 2024 (BSS)- Adviser of the interim government on water resources Syeda Rizwana Hasan has asked the concerned authorities to take immediate steps to remove water logging from the Bhabodah area in the southwestern part of the country.

She said this while addressing a review meeting of the annual development projects at Pani Bhaban here today.

“You must take immediate steps to remove water from inundated areas of three upazilas of Jashore district that caused immense sufferings to thousands of people at the upstream of Bhabodah sluice gates,” Rizwana also the adviser for environment, forest and climate change, said.

Chaired by Secretary of the Water Resources Ministry Md Nazmul Ahsan, the meeting was addressed, among others by Director General (DG) of the Water Development Board (WDB) Amirul Haque Bhuiyan, DG of Haor and Wetlands Development Department Md Akhteruzzaman and Chief Engineer of WDB Khulna region Bidyut Kumar Saha.

The meeting was also addressed by Engineer Iqbal Kabir Mollah, journalist Madhusudan Mondal, Md Shafiqul Bari, Md Mozammel Haque and former principal of Bhabodah Degree College Abdul Motaleb Sardar as stakeholders of the affected areas.

The stakeholders described the sufferings of the people of the area due to the water logging at Bhabodah area.

Over 250 villages of seven upazilas of Jashore, Khulna and Satkhira districts have been marooned due to water logging at Bhabodah and heavy incessant rain this month.

Water Resources Secretary Nazmul Ahsan gave necessary directives to the WDB to increase the number of water pumps to drain out the water and procure more dredgers for re-excavation of the rivers and cannels.

He also asked the WDB and district administration to take immediate steps to remove the obstructions on  Amdanga Khal in Avaynagar Upazila to facilitate passing water into the Bhairob River.