3 dredgers engaged to keep Baghabari channel navigable
The Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) permanently engaged three dredging units for dredging operation along the Paturia-Baghabari channel in the Jamuna to ensure its navigability for the entire dry season, BIWTA sources said.
BIWTA executive engineer Md Mojibar Rahman announced this after visiting the river route on Wednesday.
He was accompanied by en-gineer Md Robbani and other BIWTA officials during the visit.
Usually, smooth plying of fuel and goods-laden vessels is disrupted along the channel in dry season every year due to navigability crisis.
Following dredging, the problem is solved for a temporary period. The navigability crises reappear in the channel after a brief period.
To combat the situation, the BIWTA authorities took the permanent step, said Md Joynal Hossain, a BIWTA official.
At least 30 fuel and fertiliser-loaded vessels were stacked at several points in the Jamuna last week due to navigability crises. BIWTA solved the problem by unloading goods of those vessels to lighter vessels.
Later, the vessels reached Baghabari River Port with the goods.
There are many underwater shoals in Paturia-Baghabari river route.
Movement of vessels is usually disrupted in Mhongonje, Panchakola, Kaitola, Hariram-pur, Paturia and some other points in the river, said the port official.
Continuous dredging is essential to remove the navigability crises in the river, BIWTA sources said.
Fuel and fertilizer are supplied to 16 northern districts from Baghabari port.
At present, about 12 lakh liter fuel is supplied to the northern districts from the port now.
The demand will increase to 20 lakh liter in the upcoming peak season of IRRI cultivation when farmers will be engaged in irrigation, said an official of Meghna Depot.
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