A meeting chaired by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman decided to revive waterways surrounding Dhaka and consider allowing interested private companies to operate water buses. The meeting began at 10:30am on Sunday, August 2, 2026, in the Cabinet Division’s special meeting room at the Bangladesh Secretariat. The decisions covered restoring the capital’s surrounding river routes and reviewing proposals from private operators.

The prime minister instructed relevant authorities to prevent pollution in Dhaka’s rivers, improve drainage systems, and maintain normal navigability and water flow. He also directed them to plant different species of trees beside walkways built along the rivers, with the stated aims of environmental protection and improving the appearance of riverbanks.

Those attending included Road Transport and Bridges, Railways and Shipping Minister Sheikh Rabiul Alam and State Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Sheikh Faridul Islam. Dhaka North City Corporation Administrator Md Shafiqul Islam Khan, Dhaka South City Corporation Administrator Md Abdus Salam, Additional Press Secretary to the Prime Minister Atikur Rahman Rumon, and senior officials from relevant ministries and agencies also attended the meeting.