Bangladesh PM paves way for flood protection infra in Sylhet
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Saturday initiated a riverfront development project along the Surma River in Bangladesh’s Sylhet district, according to a media report.
The project focuses on constructing flood protection infrastructure and improving the river banks through beautification measures, state-owned news agency Bangladesh Sangbad Sangsthan (BSS) reported.
The project is part of wider efforts by the government to strengthen urban infrastructure in riverine areas, and it aims to mitigate the catastrophic damage caused by floods, especially during the monsoons, in the Ganga-Brahmaputra delta region.
According to a 2024 UNICEF report, flash floods in Sylhet division affected more than 2 million people. Over 51,000 people were forced to live in shelters.
The Surma is a major river in northeastern Bangladesh that flows through Sylhet and plays a central role in drainage, transportation and local livelihoods. It is part of the broader Barak river system, which is crucial to the region’s ecology.
On his first prime ministerial visit to the city, Rahman was joined by his wife and several cabinet ministers.
He also inaugurated re-excavation works of the Basia River in Sylhet, where a canal dug nearly five decades ago was blocked over time, according to BSS.
