‘Scrap decision to create ‘tidal basins’ in Rampal’

“500 fishermen, farmers would lose over 1,000 acres of land if the project is implemented”

The National Committee to Protect Shipping, Roads and Railways (NCPSRR) yesterday demanded that the government scrap its decision to create two ‘tidal basins’ by the Mongla-Ghashiakhali channel in Rampal upazila of Bagerhat district in the name of maintaining navigability of the route, reports UNB.
NCPSRR adviser and veteran politician Manzurul Ahsan Khan and its general secretary Ashis Kumar Dey made the demand in a joint statement.
The NCPSRR leaders said if the Water Development Board’s project to create the tidal basins, manmade reservoirs for dumping siltation, is implemented, at least 500 fishermen and farmers would lose over 1,000 acres of land, forcing the landless families to migrate from their forefathers’ land.
They called for evicting hundreds of illegal and environmentally harmful shrimp enclosures and excavating 83 government canals instead, saying the needy families will not have to lose their only earning source like fishing and agricultural land if so.
The statement also strongly criticised the WDB for taking the canal excavation project without evicting the shrimp farms occupied by some influential persons.
It alleged that WDB’s unplanned polders (embankments) and sluice gates have created obstacles to natural water flow and severe navigability crisis on the Mongla-Ghoshiakhali route through producing immense silt.

Scrap decision to create tidal basins in Rampal

“500 fishermen, farmers would lose over 1,000 acres of land if the project is implemented”

The National Committee to Protect Shipping, Roads and Railways (NCPSRR) yesterday demanded that the government scrap its decision to create two tidal basins by the Mongla-Ghashiakhali channel in Rampal upazila of Bagerhat district in the name of maintaining navigability of the route, reports UNB. NCPSRR adviser and veteran politician Manzurul Ahsan Khan and its general secretary Ashis Kumar Dey made the demand in a joint statement. The NCPSRR leaders said if the Water Development Boards project to create the tidal basins, manmade reservoirs for dumping siltation, is implemented, at least 500 fishermen and farmers would lose over 1,000 acres of land, forcing the landless families to migrate from their forefathers land. They called for evicting hundreds of illegal and environmentally harmful shrimp enclosures and excavating 83 government canals instead, saying the needy families will not have to lose their only earning source like fishing and agricultural land if so. The statement also strongly criticised the WDB for taking the canal excavation project without evicting the shrimp farms occupied by some influential persons. It alleged that WDBs unplanned polders (embankments) and sluice gates have created obstacles to natural water flow and severe navigability crisis on the Mongla-Ghoshiakhali route through producing immense silt.