52 goods-laden vessels stuck in a week
Several vessels lie stranded at Dhalarchar in Bera upazila under Pabna district due to poor navigability at different points of Jamuna River.Photo: STAR
Poor navigability on a 30-kilometre route in the Jamuna causes disruption to the movement of goods-carrying vessels from Aricha to Baghabari.
At least 52 fertiliser and cement-laden vessels got stranded at different points on the route in the last seven days.
BIWTA officials said the vessels have started arriving at Baghabari port after unloading goods on lighter vessels.
They claimed that 30 to 40 vessels from Dhalarchar and Mollarchar in Pabna and Dautkandi and Alachi in Manikganj districts reached Baghabari river port until yesterday afternoon.
“We have instructed the vessels not to take more than 8 feet draft load during the dry season. But most of them are taking 15 to 20 feet draft load, defying the instruction,” said Md Shahjalal Haque, director of dredging of BIWTA.
The BIWTA has already started dredging at Mollarchar point to make the river navigable, the official said, adding that if the vessels take not more than 10 feet draft load, they will reach Baghabari port without any hindrance.
A drastic fall in the water level in the river route from Mohonganj to Daulatdia point causes disruption to the movement of vessels, said Baghabari port officer Abdur Razzak.
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