PM for building 'Green and Blue' Bangladesh
Monday, 28 December 2009
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Sunday vowed to build a 'Green and Blue Bangladesh' through massive afforestation and preserving all the country's rivers, canals and water bodies, reports UNB.
The Prime Minister also stressed the need for regular talks with neighboring India over Bangladesh's share of water in 54 common rivers, including the Teesta, flowing through the two countries.
She made the remarks while addressing the inaugural ceremony of the 18th National Council-2009 and the 34th Council meet of the Institution of Diploma Engineers, Bangladesh (IDEB) at its auditorium in the morning.
Presided over by IDEB executive committee president MR Khairul Umam, the function was also addressed by its general secretary Engineer Kazi Nazrul Islam.
Hasina said bilateral talks with India were going to start at various levels soon over the two countries' share in the common rivers.
"I hope Bangladesh's bilateral talks with India will be successful. The rivers are just like arteries of human body. When the arteries are blocked, the way people struck by heart attack, we as a nation may suffer heart attack if we fail to save our rivers," she said.
The Prime Minister spoke of a special plan for building a modern Dhaka by expanding its peripheries and developing four suburbs surrounding the capital.
Besides, she said, the government was going to take initiatives soon to clean up the riverbeds of the Shitalakkhya, Buriganga, Balu and Turag to save the rivers from deadly pollution.
She said the government will clean up polythene and coconut shells from the Buriganga River, and raise and construct its banks, including laying out walkways for people.
Hasina again warned of stern actions against those who would fell trees damaging the country's environment and bio-diversity, and urged the developers to include measures in all their projects to preserve greeneries and water bodies.
"We want to see a green and blue Bangladesh. We'll restore navigability of rivers apart from ensuring that there will be green trees everywhere in Bangladesh -- both in cities and villages. Rivers with their blue waters and trees with their greeneries will make the Green and Blue Bangladesh," she said issuing a note of warning against land grabbers and river encroachers.
The Prime Minister also stressed the need for regular talks with neighboring India over Bangladesh's share of water in 54 common rivers, including the Teesta, flowing through the two countries.
She made the remarks while addressing the inaugural ceremony of the 18th National Council-2009 and the 34th Council meet of the Institution of Diploma Engineers, Bangladesh (IDEB) at its auditorium in the morning.
Presided over by IDEB executive committee president MR Khairul Umam, the function was also addressed by its general secretary Engineer Kazi Nazrul Islam.
Hasina said bilateral talks with India were going to start at various levels soon over the two countries' share in the common rivers.
"I hope Bangladesh's bilateral talks with India will be successful. The rivers are just like arteries of human body. When the arteries are blocked, the way people struck by heart attack, we as a nation may suffer heart attack if we fail to save our rivers," she said.
The Prime Minister spoke of a special plan for building a modern Dhaka by expanding its peripheries and developing four suburbs surrounding the capital.
Besides, she said, the government was going to take initiatives soon to clean up the riverbeds of the Shitalakkhya, Buriganga, Balu and Turag to save the rivers from deadly pollution.
She said the government will clean up polythene and coconut shells from the Buriganga River, and raise and construct its banks, including laying out walkways for people.
Hasina again warned of stern actions against those who would fell trees damaging the country's environment and bio-diversity, and urged the developers to include measures in all their projects to preserve greeneries and water bodies.
"We want to see a green and blue Bangladesh. We'll restore navigability of rivers apart from ensuring that there will be green trees everywhere in Bangladesh -- both in cities and villages. Rivers with their blue waters and trees with their greeneries will make the Green and Blue Bangladesh," she said issuing a note of warning against land grabbers and river encroachers.