Buriganga protection plan delayed again

The plan to protect the Buriganga, the lifeline of the city, from encroachments is delayed for revision of the project concept paper. PHOTO: STAR

oachment has been delayed again as the shipping ministry wants to include a harbour for vessels at Kamrangir Char and exclude a dockyard at Mirerbag.

"We are re-casting the project concept paper (PCP) to include the harbour and exclude the dockyard," said Syed Monwar Hossain, director of ports and transportation of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA).

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The harbour was included in the plan as vessels at Sadarghat need separate berthing to unload garbage and change oil, which is now being done in the river polluting the Buriganga.

"This will help reduce pollution in the river," said Rakibul Islam, superintendent engineer of the BIWTA.

The harbour will be constructed where a channel of the Buriganga once flowed.

The harbour will reduce pollution as vessels would dump their garbage into floating tanks and then these will be emptied on the shore. The vessels will also use pipes to pump oil on to the shore.

There will be a 60-bed rest house at the harbour for launch employees.

The BIWTA submitted the PCP to the shipping ministry on May 19. But it remained stuck there for two months because a query about the estimated cost of dredging the river.

The PCP has to be placed before the Planning Commission for inclusion in the Annual Development Program (ADP) of the next fiscal year. Total cost of the project has been estimated Tk 94.36 crore to be financed by the government.

About 96.82 percent of the budget will be spent on the development of the river bank. A terminal building, a transit shade at Ali Bahar Char near Pagla, kiosks, a health centre, jetty, terminal, parking yard and open yard will be built there. Moreover, a recreation centre and sitting arrangement on the bank would be constructed.

The project also included construction of walkways on the 34km shore on both sides of the river.

The project is expected to generate income from the facilities.

"This project will also help reduce traffic at Sadarghat terminal and we will be able to regain the old glory of Buriganga," said the high official of the BIWTA.

The Sadarghat terminal, established in 1967, maintains communication with two sea ports. In 2002-3, about 2.18 crore commuters and 18.70 lakh metric tons of cargo passed through this port. Every year, movement of commuters is increasing by 4.29 percent and cargo by 4.72 percent, according to the BIWTA.