[🇧🇩] Inland Riverine Shipping

[Saif]

Foreigners showing more interest to invest in shipping sector, says Sakhawat

Shipping, and Labour and Employment Adviser Brig Gen (retd) Dr M Sakhawat Hussain on Sunday said foreigners have been showing more interest to invest in the country’s shipping, maritime and port infrastructure development sectors. “The government has already taken various steps f

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Foreigners showing more interest to invest in shipping sector, says Sakhawat
FE ONLINE DESK
Published :
Dec 15, 2024 22:38
Updated :
Dec 15, 2024 22:38

Shipping, and Labour and Employment Adviser Brig Gen (retd) Dr M Sakhawat Hussain on Sunday said foreigners have been showing more interest to invest in the country’s shipping, maritime and port infrastructure development sectors.

“The government has already taken various steps for maritime sector development, including reducing the port congestion to ease imports-exports,” he said while speaking at a view-exchange with a delegation of the Shipping Reporters’ Forum at his ministry in Dhaka.

Sakhawat Hussain said the ministry has planned to build an international stander dockyard in Matarbari Deep Sea Port with support of the World Bank, reports BSS.

He said the ministry also took steps to increase facilities of carrying passengers and goods via waterway.

Besides, the shipping ministry has taken steps to turn Mongla Sea Port into an environmental friendly green port.

The present interim government is working relentlessly for the country and its people, he added.

The adviser urged the journalists to publish objective news for the development of the country.​

 

[Saif]

Govt committed to ensuring security on waterways: Adviser Sakhawat

Adviser to the Ministry of Labour and Employment and the Ministry of Shipping, Brigadier General (retd) M. Sakhawat Hossain, has said that overall security will be ensured on all inland waterways with the cooperation of the River Police. He made these remarks today during a meeting held at the Lab

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Govt committed to ensuring security on waterways: Adviser Sakhawat
UNB
Published :
Dec 29, 2024 22:21
Updated :
Dec 29, 2024 22:21

Adviser to the Ministry of Labour and Employment and the Ministry of Shipping, Brigadier General (retd) M. Sakhawat Hossain, has said that overall security will be ensured on all inland waterways with the cooperation of the River Police.

He made these remarks today during a meeting held at the Labour Building conference room to review the overall situation of inland vessel operations in Bangladesh.

The adviser expressed condolences for the seven lives lost on board the MV Al Bakhera on the Meghna River in Chandpur, and prayed for the eternal peace of their souls. He also expressed deep sympathy to the grieving families.

The adviser said that the district administration had already provided Tk 20,000 to each of the victim families, and the police had given Tk 10,000 for burial expenses.

He also said, "The RAB has already arrested one suspect in connection with the murders. An investigation is ongoing to determine if anyone else is involved in the crime."

He called for the continued operation of the shipping sector to keep the country's economy functioning. He also instructed the River Police to promptly receive complaints in accident-prone areas.

The meeting was attended by the Secretary of Labour and Employment, the Secretary of Shipping, and other officials.​

 

[Saif]

Baghabari port fading from inland water map as river silts up

Once a key supply hub for agricultural inputs and fuel to the greater northern region, Baghabari river port in Shahzadpur upazila of Sirajganj is now seeing more and more cargo vessels avoiding it due to years of neglect in navigability management and inadequate port facilities.

www.thedailystar.net

Baghabari port fading from inland water map as river silts up

Established in the 1980s on the banks of Baral river, Baghabari river port currently offers a draft of only 7-8 feet during the dry season, which allows vessels with roughly 300 tonnes of cargo. PHOTO: AHMED HUMAYUN KABIR TOPU

Once a key supply hub for agricultural inputs and fuel to the greater northern region, Baghabari river port in Shahzadpur upazila of Sirajganj is now seeing more and more cargo vessels avoiding it due to years of neglect in navigability management and inadequate port facilities.

Fertiliser-laden vessels arriving from Chattogram now offload their consignments at Nawapara port in the southwestern district Jashore, from where the agricultural inputs are then transported to northern districts.

"I travelled to Baghabari port around one and a half years ago carrying imported fertiliser, but I was unable to reach the port directly due to navigability problems," said Md Eusuf Mollah, master of an inland water vessel.

"Now we use Nawapara port regularly instead of Baghabari to unload fertiliser," Mollah added.

He said that Nawapara port can accommodate vessels carrying 1,000-1,200 tonnes of cargo, a capacity that Baghabari cannot match.

Established in the 1980s on the banks of Baral river, Baghabari currently offers a draft of only 7-8 feet during the dry season, which allows vessels with roughly 300 tonnes of cargo.

Although minor dredging of the nearby Jamuna channel was carried out in recent years, there has been no visible improvement in navigability in the Baral as water levels have been declining rapidly.

"Fertiliser vessels usually have a draft of 10-12 feet, but the current water level in the river is only 9 to 9.5 feet. Therefore, only ships with a draft of 7-8 feet can navigate this channel in winter," Md Asaduzzaman, in-charge of Baghabari port, told The Daily Star.

He said that during the monsoon, heavier vessels with drafts more than 10-12 feet can easily access the port.

Asaduzzaman said that over the years, both the size and the load capacity of inland vessels have increased, but the port's facilities have failed to keep pace.

These decades-old port facilities are inadequate for handling larger vessels, leaving the port yard largely empty during the dry season.

Port officials said some small cargo vessels carrying cement still arrive at the port, but fertiliser and coal-laden ships are less regular.

For hundreds of port workers, this decline in activity has put pressure on them to find alternative livelihoods.

"Around 400-500 workers had sufficient income at the port even a few years ago, now even 100-150 workers struggle to make their ends meet with the income here," said Md Jahangir Sardar, a local labour leader.

Many port workers have left the port in search of new jobs, Jahangir added.

The empty port yards have also impacted the buffer fertiliser warehouse at the port area, leaving it with insufficient stocks.

"We have a demand for 10,281 tonnes of fertiliser for Sirajganj district in January, but we currently have a reserve of 7,734 tonnes," said Md Abdullah Al Ansari, in-charge of the warehouse at the port.

Run under the Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC), Ansari said the warehouse is receiving truckloads from Nawapara, but they do not arrive on time.

"Fuel-laden vessels can load a minimum of 10 to 12 lakh litres, but now each fuel-laden vessel carries a maximum of 8 to 9 lakh litres of fuel to reach the port," said Md Abul Fazal, in-charge of the Jamuna oil depot at Baghabari.

Baghabari fuel depot is one of the largest fuel depots in the northern districts, with a fuel reserve capacity of more than 7.5 crore litres.

"We have the capacity to unload three fuel ships daily at the three fuel jetties in the port, but they all arrive with reduced loads," he said, adding that if the Baral river channel is improved, fully loaded ships could be accommodated without any issue.​