Pointing out that rivers are the lifeline of Bangladesh economy, State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury said the present government is working to revive the country’s dying rivers. In an exclusive interview with Bangladesh Post at National Parliament Bhaban recently, the minister observed that the people had almost forgotten how close the relationship between Bangladesh’s development and its rivers is.
This is why, he continued, the rivers are being encroached illegally, resulting in navigability crisis in most of them. Even in many areas through where once some mighty river had flown, there is no sign of river at present, he added. Against this backdrop, the incumbent government is trying to bring human life closer to rivers by making the people aware of the importance of rivers in our national life, Khalid said.
While talking about the shipping sector, he said the development of the sector was put on a hold after the death of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. It was only after 2008, when Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina formed government, that the sector resumed moving forward, he noted. Thanks to the various plans taken in his direction, there has been a huge development in this sector over the last 10 years. For example, the number our dredgers was 7-8 in 1972, which now stands at 200. Marked improvement has taken place in other areas as well, Khalid informed.
The state minister for shipping went on saying that in line with the Awami League’s election manifesto the government has initiated a programme to restore the 10,000-km of waterways of the country. Pointing to the fact that the four rivers around the capital have been polluted and lost navigability due to unabated encroachment, he said the present government has taken initiatives to free these rivers from pollution and grabbing.
Such initiatives were taken in the past also but they were scattered, he said adding that freed riverbanks were occupied again soon after the eviction drives had been called off. In order to make sure that such situations do not recur, the government has taken up a masterplan having short-term, mid-term and long-term action plans.
As part of the masterplan, the government will set up boundary pillars, create walkway for human movement and build eco parks for recreation. “We have already received proposals from several countries for implementing the plan. Besides, we have talked to the environment and industries ministries to prevent pollution of the rivers,” Khalid said, adding, “They are also working to make sure that no factory can pollute river water.”
Khalid Mahmud said, “River water is sacred but we people are polluting that sacred water. It is necessary to create awareness among the general public to save the river.” “Our initiatives have already created a kind of awareness among the people. When the peoples are fully aware and consider the rivers their own, then nobody could grab and pollute them,” Khalid added.
Pointing out that there have been large expansions of trade in the recent past, the state minister said that work has already started to modernise the Chattogram and Payra Ports to make export and import of goods faster and easier. Initiatives have also been taken up for the automation of our land ports, he said.
“Besides Bay Terminal is being constructed. Work on the development of Mongla Port has started. In future, the connection between Sonadia deep sea port and Matarbari will be established. Under the coal-based power plant in Matarbari, naval infrastructure is being developed,” said the state minister. He further said that the government has embarked on initiatives to improve connectivity with India by reviving waterways.
A river channel have been created for transporting heavy goods to Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant. Another channel will be created from Chattogram to Dhaka with the help of World Bank. More than 100 kilometers long channel is being built at Mongla in Khulna. Ramnabad Channel is being developed for Payra coal power plant in Patuakhali. When those works will be done completely, the capacity of Bangladesh will increase significantly, he expressed hope.
In answering a question Khalid Mahmud said the circular river way around Dhaka cannot be fully utilized due to the presence of some bridges, especially the railway bridge in Tongi. Even though goods are being transported through the river way, passengers’ transportation has not become popular. “Ensuring full utilization of the circular river way is expensive and time consuming, however, we have plan to implement it in future,” he mentioned.
Minister Khalid Mahmud also talked at length about his ministry’s plans on tapping blue economy potentials of the country, creating skilled manpower in shipping sector and above all helping the country attain its aspired development goals. “We have established our right in the sea, so the place is ours. We can ascend the resources there,” Khalid said, adding “However, this is a time consuming process. At first we have to conduct research, do feasibility studies and primary works, which are going on.”
Asked about the development of skilled human resources in shipping sector, Khalid Mahmud said earlier there were only one marine academy in Bangladesh, which was established by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. After 42 years, his daughter Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has established 4 more marine academies during the years between 2009 and 2014.
“There is a scarcity of sailors in the world. Bangladesh can easily take the opportunity. In order to create skilled manpower, the government in this year’s budget has allocated around Tk 86 thousand crore for education sector. Taka 100 crore has been allocated as block allocation for the education ministry. Its main focus is to emphasize on technical education. We are working to make skilled people”: Khalid said.
‘Banggabandhu had formed ‘Qudrat-E-Khuda Education Commission’, which recommended framing a science-based education system. If we could implement the system, we would have been capable to create enough skilled manpower by now. Unfortunately, the system was killed with the murder of Bangabandhu. The door has re-opened to development of skilled manpower due to initiatives of Sheikh Hasina”: the state minister added.
Khalid Mahmud said: “If any political party wants to develop the country, they must have specific goals or targets. However, none of the government during the period between Bangabandhu’s assassination and Sheikh Hasina’s assuming power had such goals or targets. That is why the country did not move much forward.”
“The present government is working to transform the huge population of the country into human resources. We have achieved MDGs two years before the stipulated time. We also hope to be able to achieve the SDGs by 2026, four years ahead of the fixed timeframe”: he added. Bangladesh will become a development country by 2035-36, 5-6 years ahead of the stipulated time 2041, Khalid Mahmud said, adding the shipping ministry will play an important role in attaining the government’s development targets.
