The government has planned to excavate 20,000 km of canals nationwide to restore water flow to farmland and increase food production, according to Information Minister Zahir Uddin Swapon.

Speaking today after inaugurating a re-excavation project in Barisal district’s Gaurnadi upazila, the minister said tidal water would now reach farmers’ fields directly through the restored waterways.

The minister linked the initiative to a programme launched under late president and Bangladesh Nationalist Party founder Ziaur Rahman, which he said had historically boosted food output. The current drive is led by Ziaur Rahman’s son, Tarique Rahman who recently took office as the 11th prime minister of the country.

“The benefits of increasing food production through Shaheed Ziaur Rahman’s canal excavation programme are a proven fact,” Swapon said. “It has also been shown that agricultural output later fell because the canals fell into disuse. This continuity has now resumed under Tarique Rahman’s leadership.”

The project falls under an irrigation development scheme covering Barisal, Bhola, Jhalakathi and Pirojpur districts. Swapon officially inaugurated the re-excavation of the Kaplatali canal.

Separately, the information minister said the government would not build a “party government or a party state”. He added: “We’ll build a government of the people. If elected again, we’ll remain in government; if not, we won’t. But we’ll institutionalise the electoral system.”

Minister Swapon also said a tree plantation drive had been launched alongside the canal work as part of broader forestry efforts.