Silted river and canals in Satkhira will also be dredged and re-excavated, he said.

He was addressing a gathering at Banshjhharia. Habibul Islam MP, Kazi Alauddin MP, Gazi Nazrul Islam MP, Rohmatullah Palash and local BNP leader and Dhalbaria Union Parishad Chairman Wahedul Islam also addressed the gathering.

The minister also visited some newly emerged shoals in the Ichhamati river in Banshjhharia in Kaligonj upazila in Bangladesh territory. Steps will be taken after dialogue with the beigbouring country so that Bangladeshis can occupy those, he assured the local people.

He also visited erosion affected bordering areas including Haroddah, Shushilgati and Debhata in a speedboat.

At a spontaneous gathering at Debhata, local lawmaker Kazi Alauddin urged the minister to take steps so that labourers can lift sand from the Ichhamati bed, stopped for long by the authorities on the plea that sand-lifting increases erosion.

Hundreds of labours become jobless due to this, the lawmaker told the minister.

But the Indians are lifting sand from the same river in their territory, Alauddin asid.

Earlier the minister visited the progress in Kabodak river dredging.

BDR Director General Major General Zahangir Alam, Lt. Col. Golam Hossain, Lt. Col. Farhad, Major Salam and Captain Zahur accompanied the minister.