PM opens Muhuri-Kohua flood control project in Feni

FENI, Oct 1: Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Thursday inaugurated Tk1,542.16-crore project to rehabilitate the Muhuri-Kohua Flood Control, Drainage and Irrigation, aimed at reducing flooding and waterlogging and improving irrigation in the district’s border areas.

The project was inaugurated at about 2:18pm in the Kheyaghat-Muhuri Bridge area in Parshuram upazila. Later, the prime minister exchanged greetings with locals and took part in a tree-planting programme.

Approved by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) on June 16, the project is scheduled for completion by 2030. Phase I will rehabilitate 67.92 kilometres of flood-control embankments, protect 11.73km of riverbanks and re-excavate 83.50km of rivers and water bodies.

The project also includes the rehabilitation of 27 irrigation structures, construction of 77 inlets and installation of a modern hydraulic elevated dam. A later phase will include new embankments along the Muhuri and Kohua rivers and excavation and rehabilitation work along the Silonia River.

Speaking after the inauguration, Tarique Rahman said the project was intended to provide a long-term solution to recurring floods and waterlogging in Parshuram, Fulgazi and adjacent areas, stressing the need to excavate rivers and canals and improve their connectivity to ensure better drainage and water management.

The northern parts of Feni have repeatedly faced flooding caused by heavy rainfall and water flowing downstream from India's hills. A major flood in 2024 inundated large parts of the district after several embankments were breached.

Water Resources State Minister Forhad Hossain Azad earlier said the project would be implemented in phases to provide protection to more than 200,000 people whose homes and farmland are vulnerable to flooding.

The prime minister also announced plans to upgrade all upazila health complexes from 50 beds to 150 beds within the next five years. The move would allow people to receive more treatment locally without having to travel to district headquarters or Dhaka, he added.

He also spoke about the government's Family Card and Farmer Card programmes, saying the initiatives were intended to support families and provide direct assistance to farmers.

The Muhuri-Kohua project is the first major programme of Tarique Rahman's daylong visit to Feni, his first official visit to the district since becoming prime minister. He arrived in Feni at around 1:15pm after travelling by road from Dhaka.

During the visit, he also attended programmes in Fulgazi, including a tree-planting event, the inauguration of electricity generated by rooftop solar systems being supplied to the national grid, and the distribution of Family and Farmer Cards.

According to officials, rooftop solar systems with a combined capacity of 962.5 kilowatts have been installed on government buildings in Fulgazi, Parshuram and Chhagalnaiya upazilas.

A total of 510 people in Fulgazi are set to receive Family Cards, while 7,643 farmers across Feni will receive Farmer Cards. Honorariums will also be provided to 238 imams, muezzins, khadims and priests in Fulgazi.

Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister and Feni-3 lawmaker Abdul Awal Mintoo, Water Resources Minister Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anee, State Minister for Water Resources Forhad Hossain Azad, Feni-1 lawmaker Munshi Rafiqul Alam Maznu, Feni-2 lawmaker Prof Zainal Abedin and reserved-seat lawmaker Rehana Akhter Ranu were present at the project inauguration.

Tarique Rahman's maternal grandfather Easkandar Majumder's ancestral home is in Sreepur village of Fulgazi. His mother, former prime minister Khaleda Zia, was elected from the Feni-1 constituency five times between 1991 and 2008, giving the district a longstanding family and political connection.