Pabna, MAY 03 (V7N)- After a long wait, the excavation work of the five-kilometer stretch of the Ichamati River within Pabna city has finally commenced. Deputy Commissioner Mofizul Islam inaugurated the project on Saturday morning (May 3rd) near the old bridge in the city's Library Bazar area.

Superintendent Engineer Sudhangshu Kumar Sarkar of the Pabna Water Development Board, along with members of the Bangladesh Army and leaders of the river rescue movement, were present at the inauguration.

Members of the Ichamati River Salvation Movement Pabna formed a human chain along the riverbank to celebrate the commencement of the excavation. They urged for the swift completion of the work, overcoming all obstacles, to restore the river's flow. They also demanded that no influential encroachers be allowed to impede this progress.

The residents of Pabna have expressed their excitement at the start of the river dredging, hoping that it will revive the river's former glory, enhance the beauty of its banks, and bring life back to the river and its surrounding communities.

SM Mahbub Alam, President of the Ichamati River Salvation Movement Pabna, expressed his joy, stating, "We are very happy today. Our 10-year-long movement is bearing fruit. Life will return to Ichamati; we will be able to navigate it again, and the new generation will inherit a beautiful river. What could be more joyful than this? The Bangladesh Army is fulfilling the dreams of the people of Pabna by dredging the river without yielding to anyone and following the law, and they deserve our praise."

It is noteworthy that the 'Ichamati River Rescue Movement' was launched by the people of Pabna in 2016 to save the river. However, progress was hampered by legal challenges from illegal encroachers and political influence, with several initial attempts to rescue the river ultimately stalling.

Finally, the government initiated the Ichamati River Revitalization Project to revive the river. Consequently, the river rescue work commenced in the fiscal year 2023-24, with the 24th Engineer Construction Brigade of the Bangladesh Army tasked with implementing the project. Excavation has begun from the Madhpur closure point of Jagannathpur in Santhia, following the CS map, and construction is currently underway at various points. Additionally, illegal structures in several areas have been demolished.

Sudhangshu Kumar Sarkar, Superintendent Engineer of the Pabna Water Development Board, stated that various link channels connecting the Ichamati River with the Padma and Jamuna rivers will be reactivated to ensure a continuous flow. Furthermore, 23 small and large bridges will be constructed and reconstructed at different locations to enhance the river's aesthetic appeal. The project also includes the construction of a 10 km drain, a 10 km walkway, and 56 ghats along the riverbanks in the central city, as well as tree plantation on both sides.

He further informed that a total of 33.772 kilometers of the Ichamati River will be excavated under the project, with an additional 76.444 kilometers of other rivers and link channels also slated for excavation, bringing the total excavation length to 110.216 kilometers. He also mentioned that 50 percent of the river excavation work has already been completed.

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