Business Desk :
Experts in a virtual discussion have raised some important issues, namely green transportation on waterways, river training, capacity building, sustainable dredging, lack of a master plan, VAT and tax reduction, adequate budget for river management, and setting up a river training institute.
Dhaka Chamber of Commerce & Industry (DCCI) organised the webinar titled ‘Sustainable River Dredging: Challenges and Way forward’ on Saturday, said a press release. State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury joined the discussion as the chief guest.
Former president of FBCCI Md Shafiul Islam (Mohiuddin) and Kabir Bin Anwar, Senior Secretary, Ministry of Water Resources joined the event as the special guests. DCCI President Rizwan Rahman chaired and moderated the webinar.
Mr Rahman in his opening remark said Bangladesh is a riverine country and waterways play a diverse role in its economy. The number of rivers in Bangladesh is being reduced due to siltation and reduction of streamflow that affects waterways as the cheapest means of transportation. Inland water transport has a great economic impact. “It is high time we improve the waterways for the sake of both industrial and socioeconomic development of the country as Bangladesh is poised to become a developing country by 2026”, he said. The 24,000 km waterways were reduced to 6,000 km in monsoon and 3,600 km during the lean period due to the dynamic characteristics of the rivers and its effect falls into the economic and ecological state of the country, he added.
