Manu riverbank protection project work put on hold

SYLHET, Mar 31: The authorities have kept suspended work on the Manu riverbank protection covering three areas in Kulaura upazila of Moulvibazar district for about a year following objection from the Indian side.
However, the Indian authorities in a letter on March 1 attached a condition seeking Bangladesh's nod to five such schemes in their territory, official sources informed.
Amid the stalemate of the important project, Joint River Commission (JRC) member Dr Abul Hossain visited the project site when the work remains suspended due to the objection imposed by the Indian Border Security Force (BSF).
In such a development, a team of Bangladesh officials led by Engineer BM Abdul Momin of the Water Development Board (WDB) is set to visit the Indian site on 1 April, officials informed, saying BGB and BSF officials will also join.
Sources said that after starting the work at Bagjore and Nishchintopur points, the WDB had to stop it in the face of BSF's objection while it could not be started at Telibil on Chatlapore border.
Contacted, WDB Executive Engineer at Moulvibazar Zabed Iqbal told this correspondent, "We have to implement project work to protect 1,400 metre long area of riverbank from erosion under three packages at Bagjore, Nishchintopur and Telibil. The estimated cost is Tk 50 crore (500 million)."
As other components of the main flood control project, the WDB has been implementing construction work of 2.5 km flood wall, protection work along 29 km area, resectioning of 86 km on Manu embankment, removal of 13 km chars and setting of CC blocks on riverbank slopes etc under the TK 996 crore project styled 'protection of Moulvibazar Sadar, Rajnagar and Kulaura upazila from Manu river erosion'.
Field work of the project was started in April 2021 with the completion target of June 2024, but the progress is still 44.5 per cent.
It has been given one year extension last week although the officials had sought two years', sources informed.
Originating from the Kahoisib peak of Tripura, the river Manu passes through various narrow gorges. As it descends into the more level plain near Kailashahar, it becomes a broad sluggish stream with a meander course. It flows northwards until it reaches Sylhet plains in Bangladesh. It enters Bangladesh through Moulvibazar district when it digresses to northwest and north to meet Kushiyara at Manumukh and finally drains to the Bay of Bengal. It is the longest river of Tripura with a stretch of 167 km.

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