Poor navigability in Jamuna keeps vessels away
Golam Mostafa Jibon, back from Nagorbarighat
Baghabari port has been virtually lying idle for weeks as cargo vessels and barges with huge quantity of fertiliser, rice and fuel are not arriving there due to problem of navigability and dispute between leaseholders and the owners of cargo vessels and barges over charges.
Now the vessels are being unloaded at Nagorbarighat.
Consequently, transportation of the goods is being hampered and the concerned authorities are being deprived of huge amount of revenue while transportation of the goods is consuming more time and expenditure. Farmers in the region are apprehending that farming and irrigation will be hampered during the peak season due to the interruption in supply of fertiliser and fuel.
Due to the navigability problem, vessels have to stay at the port for longer periods and the leaseholders demand extra charges but it often leads to disagreement with vessel owners, they added.
In the dry season, the river channel has also become unfit for movement of cargo vessels and barges in absence of proper dredging.
Due to the situation, owners of the cargo vessels and barges refrained from going to Baghabari port through the Jamuna channel and took decision to anchor their vessels at Nagorbarighat and unload the goods from there.
During a visit to Nagorbarighat yesterday, The Daily Star correspondent found around 80 cargo vessels and barges anchored there. The goods including fertilizer were being unloaded from most of the vessels there while many others were waiting to be unloaded. The unloaded fertilizer bags are transported to different destinations of the northern region by trucks.
“Due to the problem, we are being deprived of huge amount of revenue,” Abdur Razzak, in-charge of Baghabari river port said.
“We have an adequate stock of fuel. But if the navigation problem continues, a crisis is likely during the irrigation,” Rabiul Alam, the in-charge of Jamuna Oil Depot, said.
Courtesy: thedailystar.net
