Dredging project gathers moss

A shipping ministry proposal to dredge seven rivers at a cost of Tk 3,964.17 crore has been lying with the planning ministry since August last year, sources said. According to the development project proposal (DPP), the main objectives are to improve the navigability of the Burishwar river for the Payra sea port as per the Prime Minister’s directive and revive six moribund rivers—Dudhkumar, Dharla, Punarbhaba, Showa, Old Bramaputra and Tulai—through dredging.

The Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) will implement the project in six years from 2017-2023, the proposal said. BIWTA superintendent engineer Saidur Rahman told The Independent yesterday that the project was submitted to the planning ministry after receiving the final approval of the shipping ministry in August last year. “There has been no development on the project since then. But the planning ministry recently wrote to us raising some queries,” he added.

Such moribund rivers need to be dredged during the dry season, he said, adding, “This is the suitable time to undertake the project as several portions of the rivers would need dredging by excavators. But it would be tough to do that during the rainy season.”

The project will be implemented in Jamalpur, Mymensingh, Kishoreganj, Narayanganj, Narsingdi, Sherpur, Dinajpur, Kurigram, Lalmonirhat, Gaibandha and Patuakhali districts, he said.

“Farmers cultivate paddy beside Punarbhaba, Showa, Dharla and Tulai Rivers during the dry season. If the rivers are dredged, people of these areas will get relief from the damage caused by floods,” Rahman noted. He further stated that many unemployed people would able to cultivate fish and ducks in wetlands after the dredging. Besides, there will be no waterlogging in the surrounding areas after the dredging is completed, he added. Rahman said: “Farmers living adjacent to the rivers will able to irrigate their farmlands from the river water during the dry season. The project will also boost regional and sub-regional trade.”

At present, only a few trawlers and boats ply on these rivers during monsoon, the BIWTA official said, adding that larger vessels and passenger launches would be able to operate once dredging was completed.

Rahman said dredging will be carried out for 605 km out of a total of 705 km area of the seven rivers and the project cost will be borne by government funds. Capital dredging would be carried out for 770 lakh cubic metres and maintenance dredging for 648 lakh cubic metres under the project.

As per the DPP, a total of 900 lakh cubic metres of silt will be removed from the seven rivers, including 70 lakh cubic metres by BIWTA dredgers, 700 lakh cubic metres by private dredgers and 130 lakh cubic metres by excavators. The DPP stated that the present minimum depth of the Dudhkumar, Dharla, Punarbhaba, Showa, Old Bramaputra and Tulai was between -0.5 m and 2.5 m. However, the required depth to keep the rivers navigable during the dry season should be between 2.5 m and 5 m.

BIWTA sources said the Army has acquired 1576.62 acres of land to establish a cantonment near the Burishwar river. The Army has requested the BIWTA to undertake the dredging project near the proposed cantonment so that the acquired land could be developed through dredge spoils, the sources added.

It would also help increase the depth of the Burishwar River and its waterways for smooth movement of vessels to the Payra sea port.

Dredging project gathers moss

A shipping ministry proposal to dredge seven rivers at a cost of Tk 3,964.17 crore has been lying with the planning ministry since August last year, sources said. According to the development project proposal (DPP), the main objectives are to improve the navigability of the Burishwar river for the Payra sea port as per the Prime Ministers directive and revive six moribund riversDudhkumar, Dharla, Punarbhaba, Showa, Old Bramaputra and Tulaithrough dredging. The Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) will implement the project in six years from 2017-2023, the proposal said. BIWTA superintendent engineer Saidur Rahman told The Independent yesterday that the project was submitted to the planning ministry after receiving the final approval of the shipping ministry in August last year. There has been no development on the project since then. But the planning ministry recently wrote to us raising some queries, he added. Such moribund rivers need to be dredged during the dry season, he said, adding, This is the suitable time to undertake the project as several portions of the rivers would need dredging by excavators. But it would be tough to do that during the rainy season. The project will be implemented in Jamalpur, Mymensingh, Kishoreganj, Narayanganj, Narsingdi, Sherpur, Dinajpur, Kurigram, Lalmonirhat, Gaibandha and Patuakhali districts, he said. Farmers cultivate paddy beside Punarbhaba, Showa, Dharla and Tulai Rivers during the dry season. If the rivers are dredged, people of these areas will get relief from the damage caused by floods, Rahman noted. He further stated that many unemployed people would able to cultivate fish and ducks in wetlands after the dredging. Besides, there will be no waterlogging in the surrounding areas after the dredging is completed, he added. Rahman said: Farmers living adjacent to the rivers will able to irrigate their farmlands from the river water during the dry season. The project will also boost regional and sub-regional trade. At present, only a few trawlers and boats ply on these rivers during monsoon, the BIWTA official said, adding that larger vessels and passenger launches would be able to operate once dredging was completed. Rahman said dredging will be carried out for 605 km out of a total of 705 km area of the seven rivers and the project cost will be borne by government funds. Capital dredging would be carried out for 770 lakh cubic metres and maintenance dredging for 648 lakh cubic metres under the project. As per the DPP, a total of 900 lakh cubic metres of silt will be removed from the seven rivers, including 70 lakh cubic metres by BIWTA dredgers, 700 lakh cubic metres by private dredgers and 130 lakh cubic metres by excavators. The DPP stated that the present minimum depth of the Dudhkumar, Dharla, Punarbhaba, Showa, Old Bramaputra and Tulai was between -0.5 m and 2.5 m. However, the required depth to keep the rivers navigable during the dry season should be between 2.5 m and 5 m. BIWTA sources said the Army has acquired 1576.62 acres of land to establish a cantonment near the Burishwar river. The Army has requested the BIWTA to undertake the dredging project near the proposed cantonment so that the acquired land could be developed through dredge spoils, the sources added. It would also help increase the depth of the Burishwar River and its waterways for smooth movement of vessels to the Payra sea port.