Wetlands are the lifeline of riverine Bangladesh: HPM Sheikh Hasina

"Bangladesh is a riverine country and 'haor-baor' and wetlands are the lifeline and resources of the country," premier's press secretary Ihsanul Karim quoted her as saying at the Bangladesh Haor and Wetland Development Department's maiden advisory council meeting at her office on Thursday.

She added: "We will have to ensure their (wetlands) proper utilization."

The premier said the preservation of wetlands currently appeared more crucial as water resources particularly against the backdrop of disruption of flows in common international rivers.

"Once upon a time, there was no tendency to obstruct the flow of the rivers and common rivers, but nowadays many countries are putting barriers on to the free flow of water," she said.

The premier noted that cultivation of crocodiles and snails were being cultured alongside fish cultivation in water bodies.

She expected the processing of these resources could tap the domestic and international markets and thus boost foreign currency earnings.

Sheikh Hasina recalled Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's 1974 directive to form the Haor Development Board as part of initiatives for their preservation and proper utilization for bettering the live of common people.

"But, after the assassination of Bangabandhu with most of his family members in 1975, there was no development in this sector," she said.

The premier said her government took initiatives for continued and regular dredging of rivers to keep them vibrant, recalling that the crucial practice which was observed in the region even before the Second World War.

Officials earlier said under a 2012 master plan for haor and wetlands, approved by the incumbent premier, 26 projects were taken in 9 sectors out of 17 sectors so far.

They said of the 26 projects, two were completed cent percent by now, while 13 schemes were at various stages of implementation.

The work is underway to formulate Development Project Proposal (DPP) and conduct a feasibility study for the rest 11 projects.

The meeting with the premier in the chair also reviewed the progress of the completed, ongoing and future development projects under the department as well as the implementation progress of the Haor Development Master Plan.

Agriculture minister Begum Matia Chowdhury, local government minister Engineer Khondoker Mosharraf Hossain, water resources minister Anisul Islam Mahmud, shipping minister Shajahan Khan, land minister Shamsur Rahman Sharif, fisheries and livestock minister Muhammad Sayedul Hoque, planning minister AHM Mustafa Kamal, environment minister Anwar Hossain Monju, state minister for energy and mineral resources Nasrul Hamid joined the meeting.

Prime Minister's principal secretary Md Abul Kalam Azad and secretaries concerned were present.