Bhairab-Katiadi river route

BIWTA to postpone dredging due to local interference

The Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) is going to postpone the dredging work of the Bhairab–Katiadi river route, a component of the 24 important waterway dredging projects, due to hurdles placed by a vested quarter. The dredging work was first suspended from March 8 to April 18. It was again postponed from September 13 as the local administration failed to demarcate the dredging alignment of the project.

According to BIWTA sources, the local administration is helpless over a tussle between local bodies of Botchapa union parishad under Monohardi upazila and Binnabaid union parishad of Belabo upazila.

Industries Minister Nurul Majid Mahmud Humayun already told two upazila chairmen to resolve the problem, but they have failed to do so. As a result, Tk 76.43 crore dredging work will go waste if the project work is not completed, the sources said.

Considering the importance of the river route, the BIWTA is supposed to bring the 293-km-long stretch, which is one of the India-Bangladesh (inland water transit and trade) protocol routes, under the capital dredging project to keep it navigable round the year.

According to sources, the project had been approved by the ECNEC in 2012 to keep this route navigable from Bhairab to Jamalpur via Mymensingh. But the dredging work, a priority project of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, has been suspended twice this year as the local administration failed to demarcate the dredging areas despite repeated reminders.

“We have already spent Tk. 76.43 crore to dredge 30.50km of the river route. The route will connect the Meghna to the Brahmaputra via Mymensingh, Jamalpur and Kurigram. Locals have physically assaulted two BIWTA

engineers,” additional chief engineer (dredging) Saidur Rahman told this correspondent yesterday.

When asked how many kilometres of dredging work remained to be completed, Rahman said: “The problem created is around 2 km of the river route in Bhawalerchar areas under Narsingdi district. People could use the river route round the year if this stretch is dredged. Otherwise, the main objective of the project will go completely waste.”

Senior officials of the shipping ministry has already been informed about the matter, he added.

“Vessels can’t move from the Arial Khan to the old Brahmaputra due to navigability problems. Farmers could cultivate paddy by using the river water during the dry season. The project has been taken up to keep this route navigable from Bhairab to Jamalpur via Mymensingh,” Rahman said.

The depth of the river would be kept at 18–20 feet and width at 120 feet so that 12-feet draft cargo vessels could move along the river without any hitch, he noted.

“The objective of the project won’t be fulfilled if the dredging is not continued on the Belabo part,” he said.

Passenger launches and vessels would be able to ply smoothly from Dhaka to Jamalpur via the Bhairab–Mymensingh route once the project work is completed. Also, passenger and goods-laden vessels could be easily loaded or unloaded and berthed round the year on completion of the work, he added.

Bhairab-Katiadi river route

BIWTA to postpone dredging due to local interference

The Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) is going to postpone the dredging work of the BhairabKatiadi river route, a component of the 24 important waterway dredging projects, due to hurdles placed by a vested quarter. The dredging work was first suspended from March 8 to April 18. It was again postponed from September 13 as the local administration failed to demarcate the dredging alignment of the project. According to BIWTA sources, the local administration is helpless over a tussle between local bodies of Botchapa union parishad under Monohardi upazila and Binnabaid union parishad of Belabo upazila. Industries Minister Nurul Majid Mahmud Humayun already told two upazila chairmen to resolve the problem, but they have failed to do so. As a result, Tk 76.43 crore dredging work will go waste if the project work is not completed, the sources said. Considering the importance of the river route, the BIWTA is supposed to bring the 293-km-long stretch, which is one of the India-Bangladesh (inland water transit and trade) protocol routes, under the capital dredging project to keep it navigable round the year. According to sources, the project had been approved by the ECNEC in 2012 to keep this route navigable from Bhairab to Jamalpur via Mymensingh. But the dredging work, a priority project of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, has been suspended twice this year as the local administration failed to demarcate the dredging areas despite repeated reminders. We have already spent Tk. 76.43 crore to dredge 30.50km of the river route. The route will connect the Meghna to the Brahmaputra via Mymensingh, Jamalpur and Kurigram. Locals have physically assaulted two BIWTA engineers, additional chief engineer (dredging) Saidur Rahman told this correspondent yesterday. When asked how many kilometres of dredging work remained to be completed, Rahman said: The problem created is around 2 km of the river route in Bhawalerchar areas under Narsingdi district. People could use the river route round the year if this stretch is dredged. Otherwise, the main objective of the project will go completely waste. Senior officials of the shipping ministry has already been informed about the matter, he added. Vessels cant move from the Arial Khan to the old Brahmaputra due to navigability problems. Farmers could cultivate paddy by using the river water during the dry season. The project has been taken up to keep this route navigable from Bhairab to Jamalpur via Mymensingh, Rahman said. The depth of the river would be kept at 1820 feet and width at 120 feet so that 12-feet draft cargo vessels could move along the river without any hitch, he noted. The objective of the project wont be fulfilled if the dredging is not continued on the Belabo part, he said. Passenger launches and vessels would be able to ply smoothly from Dhaka to Jamalpur via the BhairabMymensingh route once the project work is completed. Also, passenger and goods-laden vessels could be easily loaded or unloaded and berthed round the year on completion of the work, he added.