Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr. Hasan Mahmud said that in order to take the proud nation to its dream destination after 50 years of independence, it is very important to protect the rivers of riverine Bangladesh. Just as there are examples of new lands being raised in riverine silt deposits, there are endless possibilities for the future.
The minister was speaking as the chief guest at a seminar titled ‘Bangabandhu: Replica of Eternal Bengal’ organised by the Ministry of Shipping on a BIWTA inspection ship departing from Narayanganj Dredger Base on the occasion of the birth centenary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at noon on Sunday (26 December). Minister of State for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury spoke as a special guest.
The Minister of Information and Broadcasting said that the rivers had a lot of influence on the life of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu. The rivers have a lot of influence on the lives of Bangabandhu’s daughter Sheikh Hasina and all of us. When the veins of human beings become polluted, people get sick, just like when rivers become polluted, when they are occupied, when they dry up, Bangladesh also becomes dry and polluted. So protecting the rivers is very important.
Everything is affected by the adverse effects of climate change. Mentioning that Bangladesh still has great potential Dr. Hasan Mahmud said that the 58 tributaries flowing in the country carry about two billion metric tonnes of sediment annually and it accumulates at the bottom of the sea. This has resulted in a possibility of new land forming from the sea. Many lands have already been formed. Today’s Bhasanchar was not there seven years ago. Subarnachar upazila of Noakhali did not exist before independence. A whole new upazila has been formed. In other words, there is a huge potential for land extraction from the sea.
The Minister said that the issue has been highlighted in the Delta Plan of 2100. More work needs to be done on this. If we plan ahead for the next few decades, we will be able to connect a large part of our country to the sea.
Regarding the rescue of waterways, Hasan Mahmud said that 93% of the catchment area of our major rivers is outside Bangladesh in India, Bhutan, Nepal, and 7% in Bangladesh. So the waterway rescue plan has to be part of the inter-country plan.
Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury said, ‘If rights had not been established in the Bay of Bengal today, we would have become a ‘locked country’. We had no way out. Today, Bangladesh has found a way because of the visionary leadership of Sheikh Hasina. We inherited this vision of taking the right path from Bangabandhu.’
He said that the Father of the Nation had enacted the Sea Boundary Act of Bangladesh in 1974, which was enacted by the United Nations 10 years later. With the law made by Bangabandhu, we have been able to conquer the sea border under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
He said that he had blocked the path of the economy of Bangladesh. The next military members followed the same path. They thwarted the potential of Bangladesh. Because none of them loved the country. And that is why they could not be the leader of Bangladesh. These military members have played no role except pushing the country backward.
Quoting the Prime Minister, Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury said that rivers are the tributaries of Bangladesh. Rivers must be protected. Today, the Prime Minister is giving instructions in that way. In this way, the Ministry of Shipping can be a more helpful force in the country’s economy. We are suffering because of recent events. Everyone should be more understanding about that.
Secretary of the Ministry of Shipping Mohammad Mezbah Uddin Chowdhury presided over the seminar. Major (retd.) Rafiqul Islam Bir Uttam, Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Shipping, Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, Editor of Daily Observer, Rear Admiral Mohammad Musa, Chairman of Mongla Port Authority, eminent environmentalist Advocate Manzur Morshed, Ahmed Shamim Al Razi, Chairman of BIWTC, Commodore Abu Saleh, Director General of Department of Shipping, Md. Jalal Uddin, BIWTA Chairman, Commodore Golam Sadeq, Bangladesh Marine Academy Commandant Dr. Sajid Hossain, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Shipping Sanjay Kumar Bhowmik, and others spoke at the seminar.
Bangabandhu Chair Professor Dr. Syed Anwar Hossain of Bangladesh University of Professionals presented the keynote address at the seminar.
