The Surma-Kushiyara Capital Dredging Project, a much-needed project designed to protect Sylhet from the recurrence of devastating floods, has been stuck on paper for about four years.

After the ravaging flood in 2022, experts have repeatedly been calling for an extensive dredging of the Surma and Kushiyara rivers to save the flood-prone district. They blame the loss of navigability of these two rivers for the recurrence of devastating floods in the flood-prone district.

However, the Capital Dredging Project that was designed in 2020 with a master plan for the dredging of 18 rivers of the Sylhet region, including the Surma and Kushiyara to a depth of 4.3 metres and a width of 90 metres is yet to come to light.

According to the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA), the 18 rivers will be dredged simultaneously in five years under this project involving an estimated cost of Tk1,675 crore.

BIWTA Sylhet Executive Director ASM Masrequl Arefin, who is also in charge of the project, said that after spending a long time on the revisions of the project proposal, the proposal was sent to the finance ministry in the first week of the current month for getting clearance.

“Once the no-objection is obtained from the ministry, the project proposal will be placed before the Planning Commission. Upon approval from the commission, the proposal will be placed before an ECNEC meeting for the final nod,” he added.

“If the project is implemented, the navigability of the rivers of Sylhet region will be restored,” he stated.

Sources at BIWTA familiar with the matter said that based on site studies, an expert team of the organisation designed the project proposal in 2020 and it was sent to the Planning Commission in 2021.

But, the commission sent it back to BIWTA with some revision notes. In early 2022, the revised proposal was again sent to the Planning Commission, but the commission again sent it back asking for further revisions, they added. The revised proposal is now staying at the finance ministry for clearance.

Under the project, dredging would be carried from Zakiganj point of the Surma and Kushiyara to Upper Meghna in Ashuganj.

The other rivers which are planned to be dredged under the project include Kalni, Jadukata, Boulai, Manu, Purangi, Jumnala Khal, Khowai, Sutang, Beleshawri, Titas, Pagla, Buri, and Magra.

According to the detailed proposal, the project will be implemented in two phases over five years— capital dredging in the first two years, and preservation in the remaining three years.

Under capital dredging, the places of the 18 rivers that have been filled up, will completely be cleared through extensive dredging.

On the other hand, under the preservation part, the chars that will emerge in places of these rivers would be excavated for three years