Kushtia, March 16 -- Law Minister Md. Asaduzzaman on Monday said the government plans to excavate 20,000 kilometres of rivers, canals and beels in Bangladesh over the next five years under a programme announced by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.

"We will not only excavate them but also evict those who have illegally occupied river, canal and beel land," he told reporters after inaugurating the re-excavation of a three-kilometre canal from Moragachha to Hashimpur in Khoksa Upazila in the afternoon.

Responding to a question about whether general people are suffering due to a large number of cases, the minister said the government would hold discussions with the affected parties and the judiciary.

"We will try to resolve the problems by ta...