Work on one of the prime minister’s priority projects -- 293-km Bhairab-Katiadi-Tok-Mymensingh-Jamalpur River Route -- has remained suspended for about three months for alleged non-cooperation of the local administrations in demarcating the main channel at several points.

It is one of the India-Bangladesh (inland water transit and trade) protocol routes and a component of the 24 important waterway dredging projects being implemented with the aim to keep the long route navigable round the year.

The work was suspended on completion of about 72 per cent of the capital dredging project being implemented by the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA).

Only 1,700 feet at the Radhakhali bridge point and 700 feet at Natun Bazar in Belabo upazila and 1.5km in the Bhawalerchar area of the Arialkha River in Monohardi upazila of Narsingdi district remain un-dredged, a BIWTA official said.

“We have repeatedly requested the local administrations to demarcate the river at the said points, but they have not been cooperating with us in the last three months. Dredgers are lying idle and the project won’t be completed in the stipulated period,” Saidur Rahman, additional chief engineer (dredging), told this correspondent.

He said an inter-ministerial meeting in April decided that the local administration will demarcate the river for dredging.

“We are still waiting, but the local administration is yet to demarcate the river. As a result, the government is being financially loser as it has to keep paying the dredging companies,” Rahman said in reply to a query.

At Radhakhali bridge point, the local administration along with an influential quarter is insisting us to cut a char land instead of dredging the main channel of Arial Kha river, the BIWTA additional chief engineer told The Independent, saying that the influential quarter managed the local administration to claim that the main channel was once their property.

“If we cut the adjacent char land, the main channel will soon be filled up and they (the quarter) will occupy the land,” he added.

Solaiman Hossain, a local resident, told this correspondent that they will benefit if the Arialkha is dredged.

“The river's main channel must be dredged instead of cutting the char. If the river is dredged by cutting the char instead of the main channel, people won’t benefit and vessels won’t move,” he added.

The local administration is not engaged in the development project profile (DPP), Shamima Sharmin, UNO of Belabo upazila, told this correspondent.

“The DPP has not been prepared properly. It does not even mention how to manage

dredging materials. Some local people and brokers are creating problems in managing the dredged materials,” she said.

Sharmin, however, said she will send the river survey committee to demarcate the areas for dredging by Monday (today).

BIWTA additional chief engineer Saidur said it would not be possible to complete the work by the September 14 deadline. He said the project had been approved by 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 from January 24, as the local administration is yet to demarcate the dredging areas, despite repeated reminders, he added.

Some ministry officials have also raised questions about the authority of a deputy commissioner to review the project plan that had been passed in 2012 at an ECNEC meeting chaired by the Prime Minister.

“Vessels can’t move from Arial Khan to the Old Brahmaputra as farmers are now cultivating paddy on the river route. The project has been taken up to keep this route navigable from Bhairab to Jamalpur, via Mymensingh,” he said.

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

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

Asked why the BIWTA needs to dredge this particular stretch, Rahman said: “The design of the WDB is different. Our intended dredging depth is 18–20 feet, but it is 10 feet for the WDB. So, vessels won’t be able to move along the river route if our design is not implemented.” Passenger launches and vessels would be able to ply smoothly from Dhaka to Jamalpur, via Bhairab–Mymensingh, once the project work is completed, he said in reply to a query.