Why road marches and long marches in just six months? Annie questions

Water Resources Minister and Lakshmipur-3 MP Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Annie has questioned the opposition's road march and long march programmes just six months after the government took office. He said the government does not engage in photo session politics or Photoshop; it wants to work in reality.

He made these remarks while inspecting a canal cleaning programme adjacent to Madam Bridge in Lakshmipur town on Friday morning, organised by the Jubo Dal to mark BNP's 47th founding anniversary.

Addressing the opposition, the minister said the government started work just six months ago. A programme to excavate and re-excavate 20,000 kilometres of canals has been undertaken. It is not possible to complete all work of such a large programme within six months. "Why are they holding road marches and long marches in just six months? Have those 20,000 kilometres of canals been excavated?"

Annie said canal cleaning would be carried out across 15 wards of Lakshmipur municipality. If one to two days are allocated per ward, the entire programme can be completed within a maximum of 30 days.

Regarding the 20,000-kilometre canal excavation programme, he said: "We do not want to live in a dream. We want to establish and implement this dream." He claimed that excavation work has already started in various areas and people are beginning to benefit.

Referring to BNP Chairman and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's directive, Annie said the plan to excavate 20,000 kilometres of canals was conceived from his far-sighted vision, and the programme will be implemented in phases.

He said Tarique Rahman is presenting a new dream in continuation of the leadership of Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, and work to realise that dream began six months ago.

The programme was attended by district BNP leaders and activists, including Member Secretary Shahabuddin Sabu, Joint Convener Advocate Hasibur Rahman, BNP member and BFF Vice President Wahid Uddin Chowdhury Happy, Jubo Dal General Secretary Mostafizur Rahman Sohel, President Mahbubul Alam Mamun, and Swecchasebak Dal Vice President Salman Haider Rashed.