The Haor Oncholbasee–a civic society organization working for the people living in the Haor region in Bangladesh organized a webinar on Causeways or Viaduct in the haor region. Architect Khondker Neaz Rahman, the Deputy Team Leader of the DAP, presented the keynote paper. Discussions from Engineer Malik Fida A. Khan, the Executive Director of CEGIS and Member of Joint River Commission and Engineer Khondaker Golam Mostafa, Additional Chief Engineer of the Roads & Highway Department, followed the keynote presentation. Several other prominent citizens, including Advocate Hasnat Quaiyum, Dr. Halim Dad Khan, Kamrul Hasan Babu, and Imran Emon, spoke on the occasion. Dr. Md. Khalequzzaman, Professor of Geology at Lock Haven University and a leader of Bangladesh Environment Network (BEN) presided over the webinar. To their credit, BEN along with its partner organization Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA) has been very vocal on the issue of building highways in Haor areas for quite some time now. BAPA-BEN suggested construction of roads and highways in the form of causeways on the active flood plains including the haors.
Architect Neaz Raman highlighted the importance of haor ecosystems and emphasized on the need for environmentally sustainable development in the haor region. He also expressed a concern about unplanned urbanization in the haor region.
Engineer Khondaker Golam Mostafa pointed out that although the construction cost for elevated highway is 4 to 5 times more than that for regular highways, given the land characteristics of the haor region it will be advisable to include causeways or viaduct in the future highway construction in that part of the country.
Engineer Malik Fida A. Khan highlighted the knowledge-based approach of the Haor Development Master Plan (2012) that his organization helped craft and reiterated the need to protect the natural flow and ecosystems in the haor region. He also mentioned that improved roads and highway networks will facilitate development of the living standards of the haor people; however, he is in favor of sustainable development that considers the balance between development and environment. He lauded the recent decision by ECNEC to build a causeway between Sunamganj and Netrokona. He also emphasized the need to revise the Haor Development Master Plan in light of new knowledge and study.
Advocate Hasnat Quaiyum questioned the need for the proposed cantonment in the haor region. He suggested building a Navy Training facility instead of a cantonment that will be in harmony with the land and navigational characteristics of the haor region.
Dr. Md. Khalequzzaman emphasized the need to incorporate the spirit of SDGs in all developmental activities in the haor region. He also advocated for an ecological approach to the developmental plan for water resources management. He suggested decommissioning part of the already built all-weather highway in Austagram-Mithamoin-Itna to include causeways to facilitate uninterrupted water flow in the haor region during the monsoon season. Dr. Khalequzzaman also recommended that the Government of Bangladesh continue to pursue hydro-diplomacy with upstream India in managing all trans-boundary rivers in the haor region.
Interested readers can watch the webinar on Facebook.
Screenshot from the December 4, 2021, Webinar
