Manpower shortage hits dredging projects

53 river routes on the verge of closure

Fifty-three important river routes, including the Mongla-Ghashikhali channel, under the capital dredging project are on the verge of closure due to shortage of manpower to run dredgers, sources in the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) said. The BIWTA is implementing the project at a cost of Tk 1,873.64 crore. The project deadline was fixed at June 2018, but it will be missed due to shortage of manpower, apprehended a senior official at the BIWTA.
“We've to give up our projects if the government doesn’t hire more employees to run the dredgers. We're waiting for the government’s decision,” Saidur Rahman, superintendent engineer (dredging) of the BIWTA, told The Independent. The BIWTA has long been trying to resolve the problem through the proper authorities, he said, adding that the department is now facing serious manpower crisis to implement the project. “Dredging is normally done during the dry season. It's high time the river is dredged to restore its navigability considering national interest. We're also implementing some of the Prime Minister’s priority projects,” Rahman observed. He said the BIWTA has proposed to create 487 posts against the approved 126.
“The authorities concerned must create the posts immediately for smooth dredging. We could dredge faster with more manpower. Now, we’re implementing 53 river route projects under the capital dredging project—a priority project of the Prime Minister—with our meager manpower,” he added.
According to shipping ministry sources, a meeting will be held on December 30 to decide on more manpower for the BIWTA. The BIWTA reportedly procured 11 dredgers at a cost of Tk 269 crore without ensuring adequate manpower to put them into operation. The new ones have taken the BIWTA’s dredger fleet to 18. According to BIWTA sources, three more will be added to the fleet by the end of this year. The BIWTA’s large fleet of dredgers, tugboats, ships and excavators are mostly lying unused at present as those cannot be operated smoothly without skilled masters, drivers and other workers, the sources said. Large amounts of money will go down the drain if adequate manpower is not appointed immediately in the dredging sector, they added. The BIWTA had appointed 182 people to operate seven dredgers, which were procured by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1975. The same personnel now have to operate 18 dredgers. This is bound to hamper smooth dredging and waste a lot of time. A total of 26 people are needed to operate a dredger in two shifts.

Manpower shortage hits dredging projects

53 river routes on the verge of closure

Fifty-three important river routes, including the Mongla-Ghashikhali channel, under the capital dredging project are on the verge of closure due to shortage of manpower to run dredgers, sources in the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) said. The BIWTA is implementing the project at a cost of Tk 1,873.64 crore. The project deadline was fixed at June 2018, but it will be missed due to shortage of manpower, apprehended a senior official at the BIWTA. Weve to give up our projects if the government doesnt hire more employees to run the dredgers. Were waiting for the governments decision, Saidur Rahman, superintendent engineer (dredging) of the BIWTA, told The Independent. The BIWTA has long been trying to resolve the problem through the proper authorities, he said, adding that the department is now facing serious manpower crisis to implement the project. Dredging is normally done during the dry season. Its high time the river is dredged to restore its navigability considering national interest. Were also implementing some of the Prime Ministers priority projects, Rahman observed. He said the BIWTA has proposed to create 487 posts against the approved 126. The authorities concerned must create the posts immediately for smooth dredging. We could dredge faster with more manpower. Now, were implementing 53 river route projects under the capital dredging projecta priority project of the Prime Ministerwith our meager manpower, he added. According to shipping ministry sources, a meeting will be held on December 30 to decide on more manpower for the BIWTA. The BIWTA reportedly procured 11 dredgers at a cost of Tk 269 crore without ensuring adequate manpower to put them into operation. The new ones have taken the BIWTAs dredger fleet to 18. According to BIWTA sources, three more will be added to the fleet by the end of this year. The BIWTAs large fleet of dredgers, tugboats, ships and excavators are mostly lying unused at present as those cannot be operated smoothly without skilled masters, drivers and other workers, the sources said. Large amounts of money will go down the drain if adequate manpower is not appointed immediately in the dredging sector, they added. The BIWTA had appointed 182 people to operate seven dredgers, which were procured by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1975. The same personnel now have to operate 18 dredgers. This is bound to hamper smooth dredging and waste a lot of time. A total of 26 people are needed to operate a dredger in two shifts.