The New Nation - Internet Edition

Our Correspondent, Barisal

Navigation on 33 out of 40 rivers and coastal routes of southern region became endangered and often as under water shoals emerged and buoys, beacon lights and other marking signs went out of order or floating away every day by extreme current and deposit of silts carried from the upstream to downstream .

Khorshed Alam, vice chairman of Barisal launch owners association, said that although local BIWTA claiming safe navigation in 22 out of 40 regional routes, but practically navigation in only seven routes are operating amid high risk and disrupted in rest 33 routes since long days.

Different stations on Barisal-Matbaria, Barisal-Hularhut, Barisal Mohipur, Barisal-Goma, and Barisal-Galachipa routes are already closed and Shaberhut-Tungibaria canal on Barisal-Bhola, Basnir Khal on Barisal-Dhaka routes often disrupted due to emerging under water shoals.

Navigation through Bamirchar, Vashanchar channel on Barisal-Dhaka routes endangered due to absence of buoy, beacon and other route signs and markings, he added.

Rafikul Islam, BIWTA port officer of Barisal, said that there are floating and onshore 107 tower beacon lights and six buoys lights in this region.

Fishermen often breaking these instruments after their nets became intertwined with theses lights and sometimes solar panels valued worth Tk. 7 lakhs installed on each of these lights stolen by the thieves.

Besides acute work force shortage also creating problems in monitoring safe navigation situation as posts of 12 out of 32 pilots and 8 out of 25 marksmen lying vacant since long days.

Claiming regular dredging operations for maintaining navigability on these routes, the port officers said that only seven old model dredgers under BIWTA dredging fleet in the country could not sufficient to maintain navigability on huge number of river routes , especially in the silt-prone downstream rivers, he added.

However, number of water transports increasing in major river routes while day by day those routes losing navigability. As Shipping ordinances are not revised in accordance with modern navigation rules, most of the water transports are running without sufficient trained deck and driving crews, radars, hydraulic wheels and eco-sounding equipments for measuring depth of water, fog lights, caused accidents.

At least four lightened buoys, various types of marking signs have been washed away, and replacement of those under threat, said Md. Shahjahan, senior deputy director in charge of navigation routes in this region of Bangladesh Inland Waterways Authority.

Ranjan Mia, master of a BIWTC sea truck vessel plying on Barisal-Bhola-Laxmipur coastal route, said the route has many under water shoals and without marking signs, it is very difficult to ply the vessel safely due to emerging under water shoals and absence of marking signs.

Md. Jahir, a BIWTA pilot of Barisal-Chittagong coastal route, said it is very difficult to ply water transports during fog and over unmarked under water shoals.

Abdul Huq, another BIWTA pilot of Barisal-Khulna route, said marking signs, especially the signs of newly emerged under water shoals, yet to be reinstalled in most of the routes.

Abdul Mannan, master of triple decked launch MV Sundarbon-7, plying on Barisal-Dhaka-Barisal route, said at least five lighted buoys are required on Koilarkhal to Nalbunia channel of this route and in absence of those we operating the vessel blindly with great risks in dark and foggy nights.