Lack of funds, dredgers delay cleaning
Without ensuring necessary funding, the government seems to be going ahead with its decision to approve a number of dredging projects of the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) under the shipping ministry, said sources.
“The project work is stalled due to lack of dredgers and paucity of funds,” they told The Independent on Wednesday. BIWTA chairman Samsuddoha Khondaker said they had taken up the Tk. 2600-crore dredging project to clean up at least 36 important river routes for smooth navigation. The purchase committee of Cabinet has already approved Tk. 508.46 crore to dredge 12 river routes, he added.
Excessive silting causing death of rivers is an outcome of lack of coordination between local governments and the Bangladesh Water Development Board, he observed.
The 12 approved river routes are– Dhaka-Taltala-Dohuri-Zazira- Madaripur-Kabirajpur- Chowdhurihat on the river Ichhamati, the rivers Padma and Arialkhan in Dhaka, Munshiganj, Madaripur and Shariatpur, Laharhat-Veduria on the Arialkhan and the Tentulia in Barisal and Bhola, Shahaberhat-Tungibari-Laharhat on the river Tentulia in Barisal, Sadarghat-Berulia on the river Turag in Dhaka, Paturia-Baghabari on the river Jamuna in Manikganj, Shirajganj and Pabna, Demra-Ghorashal-Palash on the river Shitalakhya in Dhaka and Narsingdi, Dhaka-Ramchar-Madaripur on the river Arialkhan in Dhaka and Madaripur, Dhaka-Shariatpur on the river Padma in Dhaka, Chandpur and Shariatpur districts, Chandpur-Nandirbazar- Shikarpur-Hularhat on the rivers Dakatia, Meghna and Shandya under Barisal and Pirojpur, Hularhat-Charchapli-Gopalganj on the Kaliganga, the rivers Saildaha and Madhumoti in Pirojpur and Gopalganj districts, Narayanganj-Daudkandi on the Shitalakhya, the Meghna and the Gumti flowing through Narayanganj and Comilla and Dhaka-Sureswar-Angaria- Madaripur on the Padma river, Dupaldia canal and Arialkhan in Dhaka, Shariatpur and Madaripur districts.
After completion of dredging, cargo and passenger vessels would be able to ply round-the-year on these 12 river routes, said the BIWTA chairman. He added that 3.16 crore cubic metre of silt would be removed in the process.
Abdul Matin, chief engineer in BIWTA’s dredging department, said 24 more important river routes would be taken up for dredging.
“We’ve already sent a project proposal listing these additional 24 river routes to the higher authorities for approval,” he said.
The proposed river routes are— Dhaka-Munshiganj-Gajaria- Chandpur-Chittagong, Chittagong-Cox’s Bazar-St Martin’s Island-Teknaf, Chandpur-Char Prakash-Hijla-Barisal, Chandpur-Muladi-Barisal, Ghasikhali-Barisal-Kaliganj- Chandpur-Aricha, Bhairab Bazar-Lipsha-Chhatak-Sylhet, Gaglajor-Mohongonj, Lawargar-Durlobpur, Chitri-Nabinagar-Kuti Bazar, Narsingdi-Katiadi, Narsingdi-Marichakandi- Salimganj-Bancharampur-Homna, Daudkandi-Homna-Ramkrishnapur, Chandpur-Ichuli-Faridganj, Barisal-Jhalakathi-Barguna- Patharghata, Khulna-Gajirhat-Bardia- Manikdha, Nandibazar-Madaripur, Dilalpur-Ghoradigha- Chamraghat-Nilki-Atpara- Netrokona, Manumukh-Moulvi Bazar, Mirpur-Savar, Sripur-Bhola Kheyaghat-Gangapur-Bhola, Chawkighata-Kaliganj, Patuakhali-Mirzaganj, Hosnabad-Torki-Fasiatala and Dalar Char-Baliakandi-Boalmari- Kasiani.
Shipping minister Shajahan Khan said the dredging projects had been taken up on a priority basis at the directive of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to maintain the river routes functional all seasons.
He also said that after dredging of these river routes were completed, people would be able use the waterways throughout the year.
Travelling and carrying of freights on river routes are economically more viable than using the highways, he added.
The government would ensure adequate funding for the dredging projects, the minister stated.
-With The Independent input
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