Born-again canal

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Suvadda Khal (canal), lifeline of Keraniganj upazila in Dhaka, is now getting back its earlier look as the canal that dried up completely more than three years ago was partly re-excavated by the authorities recently.

Although the 8.5-km canal is far from returning to its state 15 years back, it has now become a channel through which boats ferry people and various goods between the Buriganga and Rajendrapur in Keraniganj. Re-excavation of 02-km stretch of the canal is still to be completed to link the Buriganga and the Dhaleshwari as in the past.

Of the two other canals in Keraniganj –Char Mirerbagh and Mirerbagh canals– which had links with the Buriganga and the Dhaleshwari– one is now non-existent and the other is a dying one.

Char Mirerbagh canal dries up except during monsoon while Mirerbagh canal was filled up four years ago for construction of a road along it.

Sukumar, a shopkeeper at Golam Bazar in the locality, said re-excavation of Suvadda canal has facilitated carrying goods from Sadarghat and Islampur markets in the capital by boat, reducing transportation cost by 30 to 35 percent.

Delwar, a local boatman, said his earning from carrying people and goods had decreased drastically as the canal became dead three years back. “I am now very happy to get a scope to increase my income.”

Another boatman from the area, Ahsan, said, “‘I can now earn up to Tk 100 a trip by carrying goods to markets, and it was not possible before re-opening of the canal.”

Suvadda Khal had a lean flow of water till 2004 but it dried up fully when it was filled up at a point in Kaliganj, where the canal used to flow into the Buriganga, on the plea of constructing a bridge.

About 5,000 small and large garment factories in Suvadda union are also blamed for drying of the canal as the factories had dumped waste in it for years.

The Water Development Board with assistance from the Armed Forces Division and Dhaka district administration evicted illegal encroachers and re-excavated the canal. It was opened for public on June 16.

Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) of Keraniganj Md Aminul Islam said they had started the eviction drive and excavation of the canal on January 24 this year. “We demolished about 150 illegal structures including 82 buildings on the canal from the bridge near Alam Market to Rajendrapur in Keraniganj.”

He went on, “We plan to restore the remaining portion of the canal during the next dry season, if funds are available.”

On Char Mirerbagh canal, the UNO said, a portion of it has been re-excavated and initiative will be taken to complete the process after the rainy season.

He however said they have no plan about Mirerbagh canal.

Char Mirerbagh canal falls into Suvadda Khal that links the Buriganga and the Dhaleshwari while Mirerbagh canal used to link the two rivers directly.

Suvadda Khal is very important for people of the area, especially traders, as four markets in Karaniganj are on its banks. Traders at Kaliganj, Golam Bazar, Abdullahpur and Rajendrapur markets bring goods by boats from Sadarghat, Islampur and ther areas through this canal due to low carrying cost.

Ali Hossain, an elderly resident of Kalindi in KJeraniganj, recalled that many big boats used to carry goods through the canal before 15 years ago.

Hundreds of boats would ply the three canals everyday and several thousand people in and around Keraniganj would earn their living from it. Drying of the canals had not only affected them but also endangered environment, he said.

Boatman Manik, engaged in this profession for about 45 years, said as the canals had dried up, more than half of the boatmen changed their job.

Boat race, a very popular and entertaining event during rainy season, used to take place in Suvadda canal every year, drawing huge crowds. The last one took place 1984, recalled Shawkat Hossain of Aaganagar in Suvadda union.

Farming and fishing in the area were also hampered seriously due to drying up of the canal, he said. “We used to fish in the canal almost everyday and used its water for farming purposes and domestic chores even 20 years ago.”

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