ZCZC
BSS-33
KHALID-INAUGURATION-DREDGING
Khalid inaugurates Old Brahmaputra degrading programme in Sherpur
DHAKA, Oct 31, 2020 (BSS) – State Minister for Shipping Khalid
Mahmud Chowdhury today inaugurated the dredging programme of old
Brahmaputra river in Sherpur.
“With the dredging of rivers, communication on waterways will be
made easier to boost trade and commerce and ease the waterway
communication,” he told the inaugural ceremony as the chief guest.
Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) Chairman
Commodore Golam Sadeque chaired the function while Jatiya Sangsad Whip
Md Atikur Rahman Atik, lawmaker Anwar Hossain Khan, Shipping
Ministry’s former Senior secretary and Chairman of Social Development
Foundation (SDF) Abdus Samad, Sherpur municipality mayor Golam
Mohammad Kibria Liton, additional deputy commissioner ATM Ziaul Islam
and additional police super Aminul Islam, among others, addressed it.
The state minister said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has a pledge
to bring back the natural flow of rivers so that 10,000 kilometer
waterways will be dredged to retrieve the navigability.
He said if anyone faces losses due to dredging of rivers, the
government will compensate.
Khalid sought cooperation of all in carrying out dredging in 227 km
waterways in Old Brahmaputra river under the project.
The government has launched a mega scheme to conduct massive capital
dredging aiming to retrieve navigability of 10,000 kilometers (km) on
different rivers to ease country’s inland water way communication.
As part of this effort, a project titled “navigability development
and retrieving of old Brahmaputra, Dharla, Tulai and Punarbhaba
rivers” has been taken involving Taka 4,371 crore, said officials.
Officials said in Sherpur part, dredging work of 18km started from
Brahmaputra Bridge in Sadar Upazila to Bhatipara Char No-6. Of which 6
km located from Jangaldi Char to Bhatipara Char No-6 while another
13km from Brahmaputra Bridge to Jangaldi Char.
Capital dredging in first six kilometers is 15.7 lakh cubic meters
to be completed by two years while maintenance dredging 11.83 lakh
cubic meters in next two years, capital dredging in 13 km is 40 lakh
cubic meters in two years and maintenance dredging 30 lakh cubic
meters in next two years.
Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) has been
implementing the projects, to be completed by June, 2024.
BSS/ASG/KAK/MRU/1955hrs