River routes around Dhaka city to be dredged on priority basis: Shajahan

Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan yesterday said here the river routes around Dhaka city would be dredged and made navigable on priority basis to reduce traffic jam.
The initiative would also help face the impacts of disasters, including floods. The lost capacity of reserving water would be restored through dredging rivers, he said.
The newly appointed minister said freeing the rivers throughout the country, including Dhaka, from the clutches of the grabbers would be his first task.
Shajahan said this while talking to local media representatives after offering fateha at the grave of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at Tungipara in Gopalganj with five new state ministers who took oath of office on Friday.
The minister along with his colleagues Brig Gen (retd) Enamul Haque, Capt (retd) Mujibur Rahman Fakir, Promod Mankin, Mahbubur Rahman and Dr Sharmin Shirin Chowdhury first went to the grave of Bangabandhu where they laid wreaths at the alter. They also offered special munajat there.
District Awami League General Secretary Emdadul Haq Chowdhury, district AL leader Salauddin Panna and Tungipara Upazila Chairman Soleman Biswas were present.
Attorney General Mahbubey Alam and additional and assistant attorneys general and officials and employees of their officers also offered fateha at the grave.