Implementing a canal excavation programme

The Canal Excavation Programme pledge has been articulated in the Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s (BNP) election manifesto for Bangladesh’s 13th National Election. In its election manifesto for Bangladesh’s 13th National Election, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) states that "reintroduce the canal excavation programme initiated by President Ziaur Rahman, an initiative will be undertaken to excavate, re-excavate and restore 20,000 kilometres of rivers and canals. Through this programme, 520 disappeared rivers, thousands of canals, and their natural water flows will be restored, and irrigation efficiency will be improved."

On 23 February 2026, the government issued a gazette notification for the formation of a coordination cell to implement the nationwide programme on excavation and re-excavation of rivers, canals, and water bodies, with the Ministry of Water Resources designated to provide secretarial support.

The central coordination cell is mandated to prepare year-wise work plans, coordinate existing and implementable activities across agencies, monitor implementation, and provide guidance, with secretarial support from the Ministry of Water Resources; the programme is designed for implementation through multiple agencies including the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB), Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC), Local Government Engineering Department (LGED), and the Department of Disaster Management under different project frameworks. However, no work plan has been published yet, but existing projects and plans have apparently been integrated.

On 2 March 2026, as reported in news sources, the government has initiated a technical assistance project under the Ministry of Water Resources to identify and map canals across the country. The project, with an estimated cost of BDT 31.57 crore, is being implemented by the Bangladesh Water Development Board with support from the Planning Commission and is scheduled for completion by June 2029. It aims to identify and classify approximately 30,000 canals into a GIS-based national database. On 16 March 2026, the Prime Minister inaugurated the nationwide canal excavation and re-excavation programme at Sahapara canal in Kaharole Upazila, Dinajpur, marking the start of implementation across 54 districts. The programme’s rollout plan includes an initial phase covering 54 districts, a short-term target of making over 1,000 km of canal excavation visible within 180 days, and an overall target of 20,000 km of canal and waterbody excavation and re-excavation over five years. The rollout continued with subsequent inaugurations, including the re-excavation of the Ulshi canal in Sharsha, Jashore, on 27 April 2026, a nearly 4 km canal being re-excavated through the Bangladesh Water Development Board. Following the launch, implementation activities were reported across multiple districts. As reflected in the Monitoring Division of BADC’s Progress Review Meeting Document, the Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) had achieved 42.77 per cent of its FY2025–26 canal excavation and irrigation-related targets. By 28 April 2026, news reports indicated that excavation and re-excavation works were ongoing in several regions, with varying levels of progress. On 1 April 2026, the Water Resources Minister stated in Parliament that 1,204 km of canal excavation and re-excavation was planned to be completed by June 2026, alongside approximately 1,500 km of additional re-excavation and renovation under relief-based programmes.