Implementing vision of saving rivers

The top leaders of the government do often express their serious intention about recharging the rivers of the country which seem to be on the throes of death or are losing their looks and vitality. The government, as they say, remains dedicated to save or restore the country's river systems back to health. Such statements by the key functionaries of the government, reflect mainly a vision. But nothing worthwhile starts without a vision. But the real test of realising a vision involves the undertaking of a massive project to give a new lease of life to Bangladesh's river systems. It lies in forming a comprehensive plan centred on such systems and then carrying it forward very uncompromisingly or implementing it fully in stages. For that matter, a definite time-frame needs to be set and none concerned should yield the least to interest groups who could be working to defeat such a plan. Thus, what is imperative is speed in the fastest creation of such a plan and to get down equally as fast to its implementation. This plan will need to be detailed in nature to examine all sides, quantify the resources to be mobilized and the manner of its execution. Indeed nothing should, in the process of its implementation, should get halted from rethinking or new developments, in the event of the plan taking off haphazardly. In other words, all phases of the plan from A to Z need to be first thought out clearly in details and formulated precisely for its very resolved implementation, tolerating no resistance within the given period of time. The dredging of the rivers has to be a vital part of the plan. Dredging should be made a regular activity--unlike the casual on-and-off activities at the moment-- and there should be ample funds placed in the annual national budget to take care of this need. The dredging programme or works of it, once started, must not stagnate or degrade into a halting one with long intervals. Everything will have to be mobilised first to start and finish the programmee at one-go within a stipulated period. Noor A Sayeed Dhaka University, Dhaka