Bangladesh News

Sylhet City Corporation (SCC) decided to retrieve nine major canals from land grabbers and excavate them to rid the city from waterlogging.

The engineering department of the SCC would soon invite tenders for the excavation of the canals, SCC sources said.

The government, under a development project, allotted Tk 11.3 crore to the SCC in this regard, the sources said, adding the project is aimed at freeing the city from waterlogging.

SCC will launch a drive to recover the canals sometime in December this year, he added.

Acting Chief Engineer of the SCC Nur Azizur Rahman told The Daily Star tenders would be floated in November. The canals will be demarcated and illegal structures on the canals will be demolished, he said.

The canals have remained occupied by some influential quarters for years preventing rainwater from getting out of the city every monsoon.

SCC Mayor Badar Uddin Ahmed Kamran said committees with the affluent people would be formed to ensure proper implementation of the project.

Eight of the nine canals — Dhubri Chara, Goali Chara, Malni Chara, Gavial Chara, Mangli Chara, Kewa Chara, Baruthkhana Chara and Boita Chara — fall into the river Surma from the city’s Uttar Surma while the remaining one Ratnar Khal from Dakkhin Surma.

Presently, grabbers have encroached upon almost all the nine canals blocking the city’s drainage system.

The SCC authorities took initiatives several times in the past to recover the canals but failed due to pressure from influential quarters with political clout.

“We will launch the drive to recover the canals after completion of the tender process so that the work can be completed before the end of the coming winter,” an SCC official said