Cost to rise by Tk 320 crore, implementation by a year

The revised cost of Padma River embankment project at right side of the river in Jajira and Naria upazilas of Shariatpur district is increasing by Tk 319.98 crore, which is 29.18 percent of the total cost. The duration of project implementation is also going up by one year.
The proposal is likely to be presented before the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) on Tuesday. The Prime Minister and ECNEC Chairperson Sheikh Hasina will preside over it virtually from Ganobhaban.

According to Planning Commission sources, the original cost of the project was Tk 1,097 crore. Now it will be Tk 1,417.19 crore with the upward revision of the cost. The implementation period will now end in June 2022. Bangladesh Water Development Board is executing the project.
Shariatpur district is surrounded by Padma, Meghna, Kirtinasha and Arial Khan rivers. The Ganges joins the Jamuna River near Aricha and falls into Meghna at Chandpur bearing the name Padma. Due to the combined flow of water of the Padma and Jamuna and changes in the river infrastructure, the course of the river is changing at different places.
The river bank is facing erosion due to combined effect of tides, strong currents, strong waves and water flow from upstream often wash away houses, roads, educational institutions, hospitals, markets, crop lands and other public and private infrastructures.
The main activities of the project include 8.90 km river bank conservation and rehabilitation, 0.69 km termination, 9.75 km river dredging, construction of eight other installations and bridges. The rise in cost mainly occurs as the project design was revised.

The work components include dumping of Geo bags and concrete blocks. The river bank conservation work has also increased as well as dredging.
The duration of the project extended for the construction of bridges and river other river bank conservation works, rehabilitation and such others.
Zakir Hossain Akanda, former member of the Planning Commission said, “If the project is implemented, various infrastructures in the project area will be protected from river erosion and river navigability and water holding capacity will increase and river flow will become unimpeded,”