Military enterprise to protect Kuthibari from erosion

The government has entrusted a military enterprise, the Bangladesh Diesel Plant (BDP), to protect the historical Kuthibari of Rabindranath Tagore from erosion by the Padma at Shilaidaha in Kumarkhali of Kustia.
The water resources ministry has selected the BDP under the direct purchase method (DPM) to protect the 3.720-km-long stretch of the right bank of the river, sources in the ministry disclosed.
The water resources ministry has prepared a proposal to give the work order of Tk. 177.98 crore for the work to the military enterprise. It would be placed at the next meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, which would be held soon, the sources added.
The secretary of the water resources ministry, Dr Zafar Ahmed Khan, in his proposal, said, “The Kuthibari at Shilaidaha and the adjacent areas are facing a serious threat from the Padma as the river is flowing only 500 meters away. The rate of erosion at that particular point of the Padma has been measured at 50 metres annually, threatening the Kuthibari and its adjacent areas. Hundreds of homes, streets, trees and infrastructures are being devoured by the river every year as the river bank is shifting. Unless the river bank is protected, the Kuthibari cannot be protected; for this, the river bank protection work must be carried out immediately.”
“Since it is a time-consuming process to select the contractor by floating a tender, it will be logical to give the job to the BDP under the DPM system, which will ensure quality work, so as to complete the project in time,” the proposal said.
According to the proposal, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has made a commitment to establish a university named ‘Rabindra University’ near the Kuthibari area. That is why the cultural affairs minister had sent a letter to the water resources minister in 2010, requesting him to take steps to protect the Kuthibari and its adjacent areas.
The Water Development Board (WDB) had formed a technical committee at that time to assess the possible works on the right bank embankment of the Padma and a project in this connection was prepared by the ministry. The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) had approved the project worth Tk. 177.98 crore on June 9, 2015, to protect the Kuthibari, a house of the world-famous poet and Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore.
Locals fear that with the rise in the river’s water level during the coming monsoon, the erosion of the Padma would worsen.
Rabindranath Tagore, who lived a part of his life in Shilaidaha Kuthibari, penned some of his memorable poems while staying here.
At present, Kuthibari serves as a museum, named the Tagore Memorial Museum. Many of the objects used by Tagore are displayed here, such as his bed, wardrobe, iron chest, lawn-mower, framed pictures and, last but not the least, his houseboat. Two historical swords were recently stolen from the Shilaidaha Kuthibari.

 

Military enterprise to protect Kuthibari from erosion

The government has entrusted a military enterprise, the Bangladesh Diesel Plant (BDP), to protect the historical Kuthibari of Rabindranath Tagore from erosion by the Padma at Shilaidaha in Kumarkhali of Kustia. The water resources ministry has selected the BDP under the direct purchase method (DPM) to protect the 3.720-km-long stretch of the right bank of the river, sources in the ministry disclosed. The water resources ministry has prepared a proposal to give the work order of Tk. 177.98 crore for the work to the military enterprise. It would be placed at the next meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, which would be held soon, the sources added. The secretary of the water resources ministry, Dr Zafar Ahmed Khan, in his proposal, said, The Kuthibari at Shilaidaha and the adjacent areas are facing a serious threat from the Padma as the river is flowing only 500 meters away. The rate of erosion at that particular point of the Padma has been measured at 50 metres annually, threatening the Kuthibari and its adjacent areas. Hundreds of homes, streets, trees and infrastructures are being devoured by the river every year as the river bank is shifting. Unless the river bank is protected, the Kuthibari cannot be protected; for this, the river bank protection work must be carried out immediately. Since it is a time-consuming process to select the contractor by floating a tender, it will be logical to give the job to the BDP under the DPM system, which will ensure quality work, so as to complete the project in time, the proposal said. According to the proposal, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has made a commitment to establish a university named Rabindra University near the Kuthibari area. That is why the cultural affairs minister had sent a letter to the water resources minister in 2010, requesting him to take steps to protect the Kuthibari and its adjacent areas. The Water Development Board (WDB) had formed a technical committee at that time to assess the possible works on the right bank embankment of the Padma and a project in this connection was prepared by the ministry. The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) had approved the project worth Tk. 177.98 crore on June 9, 2015, to protect the Kuthibari, a house of the world-famous poet and Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore. Locals fear that with the rise in the rivers water level during the coming monsoon, the erosion of the Padma would worsen. Rabindranath Tagore, who lived a part of his life in Shilaidaha Kuthibari, penned some of his memorable poems while staying here. At present, Kuthibari serves as a museum, named the Tagore Memorial Museum. Many of the objects used by Tagore are displayed here, such as his bed, wardrobe, iron chest, lawn-mower, framed pictures and, last but not the least, his houseboat. Two historical swords were recently stolen from the Shilaidaha Kuthibari.