DHAKA, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- The Bangladeshi government has launched a mega project to address the long-standing flooding risks in the country's southeastern region.
Under the project, around 68 km of embankments will be rehabilitated, 83.5 km of rivers will be re-excavated, and more than 11.5 km of riverbanks will be protected through bank protection works, including block placement.
Successful implementation of the 15.42 billion taka (some 126 million U.S. dollars) project is expected to significantly reduce flooding risks in the region, improve agricultural and irrigation facilities and help protect the lives and properties of people living along the region's riverbanks.
Almost every year, hilly-area runoff and floodwater from upstream areas in India breach river embankments, inundating vast areas and damaging homes, farmland, roads, and other structures.
Southeastern Bangladesh suffered severe and recurring flash floods in 2024, with Feni, Cumilla and Noakhali districts hit hardest, in one of the worst such disasters in the country's recent history. ■