Govt pledge-bound to raise navigability of all rivers

20 June 2010, 18:00 PM

Bss, Sangsad Bhaban

The present government is pledge-bound to raise navigability of the all rivers of the country, said Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan yesterday. "To this end, a 20-year master plan has been framed for the development of the internal river transportation system and a plan for increasing navigability of the rivers has been included in the master plan," he said while replying to a question raised by treasury bench member Golam Dastagir Gazi. Besides, he said, the government has undertaken a taka 11,500 crore project for capital dredging on 53 river routes as part of its nine-year plan. "The government is making efforts to find out the donor agencies for the project to be implemented in two phases," he said. Responding to another question raised by ruling party lawmaker Nurul Islam BSc, Shajahan Khan said the shipping ministry approved the capital dredging project on October 19 last year to remove 35 lakh cubic metre silt in three kilometre areas from Sadarghat to Shah Amanat bridge in the Karnaphuli river. For the project, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology has been appointed as the consultant and 16 proposals for examining the pre-qualification of the contractors have been accepted to this end, he said. The shipping minister also said the work of the capital dredging will commence in September after completion of technical and financial tender. The government has also a plan for dredging outside part of the port limit of the Karnaphuli river, he added. "A project incorporating 24 internal river routes has been sent to the Planning Commission and the capital dredging in the Karnaphuli river will begin after its approval," he said.