Bagerhat Correspondent :
After long waiting of 5 years, Mongla-Ghasiakhali international water channel was opened on experimental basis for the movement of all kinds of commercial water vessels (up to 10/11 feet drafted) on October 3.
All kinds of water vessels are directed by the BIWTA to move in the channel at the time of high tide. But the concerned persons opined, illegal cross dams constructed over more than 300 recorded feeder canals should be removed immediately in order to keep the normal of the navigability of this important water channel. The local people are happy with the starting of the movement of water vessels in the channel. But on the other hand, they are very much disappointed as all the illegal cross dams constructed over its feeder canals has not yet been removed. 2 months already passed after the direction of the Premier for the removal of all the illegal cross dams from the feeder canals. But as many as 12 hundred illegal cross dams constructed over 246 recorded feeder canals occupied by the influential shrimp cultivators cannot be removed. The concerned Upazila administrations were able to remove only 250 cross dams from the recorded canals till Thursday.
On August 5 Premier Sheikh Hasina issued an order to remove all the illegal cross dams from all the adjacent Government canals and rivers of the channel. Md. Jahangir Alam, Deputy Commissioner of Bagerhat told the newsmen, under the auspices of the concerned Upazila administrations the illegal cross dams are being removed regularly. He added, sufficient fund should be allocated for the purpose
It may be mentioned here that a number of the local influential persons have been cultivating shrimps in the paddy fields and Government recorded canals after constructing cross dams on them (canals) for long 25/30 years. As a result, more than 300 big and small rivers and canals of Rampal and Mongla Upazilas already lost their navigability. Rivers and canals of the high tide and low tide zone cannot survive without the movement of the water at the time of high tide and low tide. Consequently the feeder canals of the channel were completely silted up and the only international water channel 22 kilometers-long Mongla-Ghasiakhali began to loose its navigability.
In the year 2011 the channel was declared abandoned for want of navigability. In the year 2014 the present Government took an initiative to re-excavate the channel through dredging. At a cost of about a sum Tk.140 cr BIWTA conducted the dredging of the channel for 1.5 years in order to make it navigable. As a result, water vessels are now moving in the channel.
A. H. M. Farhaduzzaman, Superintend Engineer (Dredging), BIWTA disclosed to the newsmen, it has been examined whether the heavy ships (up to 10/11 feet drafted) can move or not in the channel at the time of high tide. He added, as many as 85 loaded heavy water vessels of 10 to 11 feet drafted crossed the channel from during the period from 3rd to 8the October. He further added, the dredging work is still going on in order to keep normal the navigability of the channel and the water vessels will not be compelled to move through the Sundarban forest.
After long waiting of 5 years, Mongla-Ghasiakhali international water channel was opened on experimental basis for the movement of all kinds of commercial water vessels (up to 10/11 feet drafted) on October 3.
All kinds of water vessels are directed by the BIWTA to move in the channel at the time of high tide. But the concerned persons opined, illegal cross dams constructed over more than 300 recorded feeder canals should be removed immediately in order to keep the normal of the navigability of this important water channel. The local people are happy with the starting of the movement of water vessels in the channel. But on the other hand, they are very much disappointed as all the illegal cross dams constructed over its feeder canals has not yet been removed. 2 months already passed after the direction of the Premier for the removal of all the illegal cross dams from the feeder canals. But as many as 12 hundred illegal cross dams constructed over 246 recorded feeder canals occupied by the influential shrimp cultivators cannot be removed. The concerned Upazila administrations were able to remove only 250 cross dams from the recorded canals till Thursday.
On August 5 Premier Sheikh Hasina issued an order to remove all the illegal cross dams from all the adjacent Government canals and rivers of the channel. Md. Jahangir Alam, Deputy Commissioner of Bagerhat told the newsmen, under the auspices of the concerned Upazila administrations the illegal cross dams are being removed regularly. He added, sufficient fund should be allocated for the purpose
It may be mentioned here that a number of the local influential persons have been cultivating shrimps in the paddy fields and Government recorded canals after constructing cross dams on them (canals) for long 25/30 years. As a result, more than 300 big and small rivers and canals of Rampal and Mongla Upazilas already lost their navigability. Rivers and canals of the high tide and low tide zone cannot survive without the movement of the water at the time of high tide and low tide. Consequently the feeder canals of the channel were completely silted up and the only international water channel 22 kilometers-long Mongla-Ghasiakhali began to loose its navigability.
In the year 2011 the channel was declared abandoned for want of navigability. In the year 2014 the present Government took an initiative to re-excavate the channel through dredging. At a cost of about a sum Tk.140 cr BIWTA conducted the dredging of the channel for 1.5 years in order to make it navigable. As a result, water vessels are now moving in the channel.
A. H. M. Farhaduzzaman, Superintend Engineer (Dredging), BIWTA disclosed to the newsmen, it has been examined whether the heavy ships (up to 10/11 feet drafted) can move or not in the channel at the time of high tide. He added, as many as 85 loaded heavy water vessels of 10 to 11 feet drafted crossed the channel from during the period from 3rd to 8the October. He further added, the dredging work is still going on in order to keep normal the navigability of the channel and the water vessels will not be compelled to move through the Sundarban forest.
