Low transboundary water flow, siltation key causes

Low trans-boundary water flow and increased siltation are some of the foremost reasons why rivers in Bangladesh are losing navigability, said Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan at a seminar on river dredging in the capital yesterday.

Declining river water flow is resulting in the waning of fish production and irrigation and environment degradation while the situation is causing severe hindrance to flood water flow, adversely impacting the economy, he said.

Relevant experts underscored the urgent need for developing skilled manpower and procuring modern equipment for efficient river dredging.   

Dredging of 53 routes, costing Tk 11,000 crore, and procurement of 20 dredgers, costing Tk 2,048 crore, are ongoing, said the minister citing two major dredging programmes. 

At least 100 dredgers will be needed for six more major upcoming projects, he said, calling upon private entrepreneurs to meet the demand.

With 21 cutter suction dredgers of different capacities, Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) is now looking after routes totalling 6,000 kilometres (km) during the rainy season, which shrink to 3,900km during the dry season.

BIWTA can dredge 70 to 80 lakh cubic metres of sediment while routinely maintaining navigability but with increasing demand, lifting of at least 250 lakh cubic metres will be required in a couple of years, said Shajahan.

Royal IHC, a company of the Netherlands building dredgers, organised the seminar, the third of its kind in Bangladesh, at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre. Two dredgers named Delta that the company supplied to Bangladesh in 1972 are still operational.    

Citing rivers and canals as integral parts of the landscape and culture of Bangladesh and the Netherlands, Dutch Ambassador Leoni Cuelenaere said rivers were major transporters and sources of drinking water, irrigation, fishing and recreation.

Dredging with trained manpower and river management are vital for tackling climate change impacts in Bangladesh, with an annual population growth rate of 1.2 percent and agriculture land loss of 1 percent.

SS Rahman Dredging Limited Managing Director Sharif Afzal Hosain, Abdul Monem Limited Deputy General Manager Shahjahan and IHC Executive Director Arnold den Boon and Product Director Kees Jan Verkaik spoke among others.