Farmers Relieved as 'Swanirbhar' Canal is Re-excavated in Kalapara

The Swanirvar Canal has been reexcavated in Kalapara.

Patuakhali: Farmers in Patuakhali’s Kalapara Upazila are breathing a sigh of relief following the completion of the re-excavation of the 'Swanirbhar' canal, which stretches from Haripara to Bouddhapara across the Baliatali and Mithaganj unions.

It is as if the canal has come back to life after 45 long years. Water is flowing once again through the canal, which had previously been on the verge of dying out. This has instilled a renewed sense of hope among local farmers. Locals also anticipate that economic activities in nearby commercial hubs, including Baliatali Bazar, will gain momentum.

Following the excavation, the canal's banks have been beautified through the planting of fruit-bearing and timber trees and the installation of red-and-green plastic fencing.

According to the Upazila Project Implementation Officer's office, the re-excavated canal spans a total length of 1,450 meters, with a top width of 22 meters and a bottom width of 12 meters. The total cost of the excavation project was Tk 1,14,05,279.

Local elders recall that the 'Swanirbhar' canal was originally excavated in 1981 during a visit to Kalapara by the late President Ziaur Rahman. Over the subsequent 45 years, encroachment, pollution, and siltation had filled the canal, leaving approximately 5,000 acres of land across the two unions uncultivated during the dry season due to a lack of fresh water. Saline water intrusion caused the deaths of hundreds of poultry and livestock, leaving farmers without work. Now, the successful implementation of the re-excavation project has brought smiles back to the farmers' faces.

Upazila Project Implementation Officer Md. Moksedul Alam stated, "The late President Ziaur Rahman had this 'Swanirbhar' canal excavated during his visit to Kalapara. We have completed the re-excavation of a 1,450-meter section of the canal. The Honorable MP has issued a 'DO letter' (Demi-Official letter) to facilitate the excavation of the remaining section. Work will commence once the funds are allocated.

Mezbah Uddin Khan Dulal, Chairman of Mithaganj Union Parishad, and Md. Monibur Rahman Khandaker, President of the Union BNP, stated that local residents have long been demanding the re-excavation of this canal. However, over the past 15 years, instead of being excavated, the canal has actually been encroached upon.

Local Member of Parliament Alhaj ABM Mosharraf Hossain stated that the current government is fulfilling its electoral pledges to bring about a revolutionary transformation in the agricultural sector. Proposals have been submitted to re-excavate additional canals to improve the agricultural infrastructure of his constituency. - Gofran Palash