HC seeks all documents on Jamuna River narrowing project: HC

The High Court (HC) has called for all pertinent papers on the Jamuna River narrowing project undertaken by the Bangladesh Water Development Board.

The authorities of Bangladesh Water Development Board have been asked to submit the documents to the court within 10 days.

The High Court bench of Justice Farah Mahbub and Justice Mohammad Mahbub ul Islam passed the order on Sunday after hearing a writ petition filed by Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB).

Advocate Manzil Morshed stood for the writ petitioner while Assistant Attorney General Abul Kalam Khan Daud represented the state.

The HRPB filed the writ in the High Court following a media report published on a national daily stating that Bangladesh Water Development Board was planning to narrow the width of Jamuna River from 15km to 6.5km.

According to the reports, the cost of project implementation has been estimated at Tk1,109.95 crore. A loan of Tk896.37 crore will be taken from the World Bank and the government of Bangladesh will provide Tk213.58 crore. The project will be implemented by 2026 from the running year.