Country loses 20,000 km river routes

The waterways of Bangladesh now come under threat due to losing river routes over the years.
The waterways are still considered as a cheap, safe and comfortable communication system in the country.
According to the sources in the Ministry of Shipping, about 20,000 km out of 26,000 km of river routes of the country has already disappeared due to silt in the river beds.
Besides, a number of rivers having strong current died due to lack of dredging on time, sources said. Referring to a World Bank report, a senior official of the ministry said, rivers are being silted but the authorities do not take initiative for their dredging. The authorities have no necessary dredgers and supporting equipments, he said.
According to sources in the ministry of water resources the size of country’s river routes was 25,140 kms before the independence. The river routes stood at 12,000 kms in 1970. At present the size of river routes stood at only 5,968 kms.
Sources said the Dhaka-Chittagong, Choukighata-Barisal and Khulna-Mongla routes became risky due to rising shoals at different channels including Hatiya, Swandeep, Kirtonkhola, Gabkhan, Boleshwar, Pashur, Meghna and Bhairab.
Besides, the navigability of the rivers Padma, Meghna, Jamuna, Arialkha, Bhadra, Karnafuli, Dhaleshari, Buriganga, Shitalakhya, Turag, Balu, Madhumoti, Ishamoti, Bhairab, Lohalia, Kabodak, Dakatia, Korotoa, Kushiara, Kushiara and Surma turned into serious shapes.
According to sources in the BIWTA, 80 per cent river routes now are risky for water transports.
He said minimum 50 lakh cubic metre of silt should be removed for restoring the existing river routes but the BIWTA has the dredging capacity for removing about 30 lakh cubic metre of silt every year.
Experts say construction of different dams and barrage in the upper riparian Indian part and grabbing rivers, and impacts of climate change caused the losing of river routes over the years.

Courtesy of The New Nation