Posted on April 27, 2026
Manikganj: Despite a project worth hundreds of crores of taka aimed at protecting rivers, its benefits are not visible in reality. The river and canal dredging project, which began in 2018 and ended in 2023 with a budget of about 100 crore taka, has effectively failed within just four years. Even after dredging, the major rivers of Manikganj have returned to their previous state. Weak planning, lack of supervision, and various irregularities have now put the entire project under question.
Implemented under the Bangladesh Water Development Board, the project covered about 170 kilometers, including three rivers—Dhaleshwari, Ichamati, and Gazikhali—and six canals. It aimed to restore navigability in areas such as Baniajuri, Ubajani, Ghoshbari, Ghariyala, Nalora, and Kashadah, along with surrounding rivers and canals.
However, locals alleged that shortly after dredging, the rivers filled up again. In some places, crops are now being cultivated on the riverbeds during the dry season, while in others there isn’t even knee-deep water.
Afaz Uddin, a resident of Krishnapur Union in his sixties, said, “We used to see water in the Gazikhali River throughout the year. Now, except for three months during the monsoon, rice is cultivated on the riverbed. Dredging was done, but the river hasn’t returned—this is our daily frustration. Where there was once water, now dust blows.”
Selim Uddin from Jagir Union along the Dhaleshwari River said that sand began to accumulate again on the riverbed shortly after dredging, forming new shoals. In many places, crops are now grown in the middle of the river.
Rashid Mia from the Ubajani area alleged that for several months, dredging machines were used to extract sand near his house and sell it. This created excessive depth in the same location, leading to riverbank erosion during the monsoon.
Locals also claim that in many areas, dredging was not done to the specified depth, and work was only shown as completed superficially. The excavated soil was often left on the riverbanks, which later washed back into the river during rainfall. There are also allegations of a “soil trade” linked to the project, involving influential groups. It is claimed that individuals who pre-purchased dredged soil through advance auctions hired labours to extract and sell sand.
Within two years of dredging, sediment had already accumulated in various parts of the Dhaleshwari River, causing it to nearly dry up. A similar situation is seen in the Kaliganga River, where in the dry season some parts have only knee-deep water, while others are completely dried riverbeds. Environmental organization BARCIK has described these rivers as “dying” in a report.
Experts say that dredging alone is not enough to sustain rivers. Without long-term planning, such projects cannot be sustainable. They emphasize the need for removing encroachments, controlling pollution, regular dredging, and involving local communities. At the local level, illegal structures along riverbanks, uncontrolled sand extraction, and lack of maintenance after dredging are obstructing the natural flow of rivers. Although the project aimed to prevent erosion and maintain water flow, the reality is different. Every year, these rivers and canals are filling up and turning into agricultural land.
Md. Akhteruzzaman, Executive Engineer of the Manikganj Water Development Board, said that reduced upstream water flow and natural causes are also responsible for the project’s failure. However, the current government has planned to dredge 20,000 kilometers of rivers and canals over the next five years, with an emphasis on re-dredging and sustainable management.
