Govt mulls blue network using Dhaka's canals: Rizwana

Water Resources Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan today said the government plans to create a blue network using Dhaka's canals. "The network will be established through the canals that are still possible to be recovered," he told a workshop at the Forest Department in the capital.

The Center for Environmental and Geographic Information Services (CEGIS) arranged the workshop titled "Spatial and Temporal Changes in Dhaka City's Urban Ecosystem, Landscape and Biodiversity over the Past 100 Years and Formulation of Strategic Action Plan". Speaking as the chief guest, Rizwana said Rajdhani Unnayan Kartipakkha (Rajuk) should conduct weekly operations to recover occupied city canals.

She warned that no misdeed should be legitimated and eviction drives should be intensified if necessary. Rizwana, also the environment, forest and climate change adviser, stressed planting grass in Dhaka's open spaces and involving the community people in this effort. She said urban planning for Dhaka must prioritise greening, biodiversity conservation and wetland conservation. The adviser called for environmentally compatible urban development plans and underscored the need for coordinated efforts among all government agencies to protect and expand green and wetland areas.

Dr Farhina Ahmed, Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change; Md Mahmudul Hasan, Administrator of Dhaka North City Corporation; Major General (Retd) Md Siddiqur Rahman Sarkar, Chairman of RAJUK; and Md Amir Hosain Chowdhury, Chief Conservator of Forests; also spoke at the workshop. Representatives of different government and non-government organisations, researchers and environmental activists participated in the workshop. The workshop concluded with a call for collective efforts to protect Dhaka's environment and biodiversity.