The government will take steps to dredge the Surma River in order to protect Sylhet city from early floods, State Minister for Water Resources Ministry Zaheed Farooque said on Thursday.
"The construction work of nine dredging stations across the country is underway, and steps will be taken for dredging the Surma River soon," he said while visiting the Shaadi Canal in the Tukerbazar area of Sylhet city.
The state minister also said that the flood water coming from the neighboring country India flows into the Bay of Bengal through numerous rivers in Bangladesh. Consequently, floods occur in Sylhet region every year.
Water coming from upstream brings silt, which obstructs the normal flow of the rivers, said the state minister, adding, "We have talked to the engineers to start dredging in the Surma River soon."
All necessary steps will be taken to deal with the flood situation, he said.
Sylhet City Corporation Mayor Md Anwaruzzaman Chowdhury, officials of Sylhet Water Development Board, and local administration were present there.