The New Nation - Internet Edition

THE riverine transportation system is in a pitiable state for years. The general trend in waterways is a continued shrinkage. In 1971, the length of the waterways of Bangladesh was 28,000 kilometres, which now has come down to less than 7,000 kilometres. During the dry season this length further shrinks to nearly 4,000 kilometres. The length of waterways has reduced not because this mode of communication is becoming obsolete but because the rivers have lost navigability due to lack of dredging. People still favour river communication for many reasons. There are some destinations where people cannot reach without river routes. In some areas river route is quicker and cheaper. Because of this many people still prefer waterways to carry their goods.

Siltation of rivers has not only reduced the length of water routes in the country restricting communication. It has also caused harm to the economy and the environment contributing to floods almost every year or intermittently. All this is due to the absence of river dredging. According to available statistics, there are only 18 dredgers in the country and all of them are not engaged in regular dredging. Some of them are owned by different government bodies and they use these for their own limited purposes. Only seven BIWTA old dredgers are for river dredging. But as they are old and not adequate to dredge rivers where necessary water transportation has been seriously crippled.

The BIWTA authorities say they lack the necessary number of dredgers. The new national budget will be announced next month. The government may earmark appropriate amounts of money for the BIWTA in the next budget to import modern dredgers to protect the river routes of the country from siltation.