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Dredging master plan taken: Minister


Bangladeshpost
Published : 10 Feb 2020 09:19 PM | Updated : 06 Sep 2020 09:47 PM

Shipping Minister Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury Sunday said the government has taken a dredging master plan for improving the navigability of the internal waterways, reports BSS.

“The present government has taken a dredging master plan to maintain navigability of the internal waterways across the country,” said the minister while responding to a starred query made by treasury bench lawmaker Nurunnabi Chowdhury of Bhola-3 in the House. Under the master plan, he said nearly 10,000 kilometers of river routes will be made navigable through excavating 178 rivers by the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA).

As per the plan, the BIWTA has taken excavation of 12 important river routes, capital dredging in 53 river routes, navigability development of the river route from Mongla port to Pakshi via Chandpur, Mawa, Goalando and restoration of old Brahmaputra, Darla, Tulai and Punarva rivers.

Besides, feasibility study of more 47 rivers also will be done under the plan, he added. Replying to another question, the Shipping Minister said with the finance jointly by the governments of Bangladesh and India, excavation of 470 kilometers of river routes under the Bangladesh-India river protocol already has begun.

The programme includes 285 kilometers of Ashuganj-Jokiganj river routes of the Kalni and Kushiyara rivers and 185 kilometers of river routes of Sirajganj-Daikhawa under Jamuna river.