UNB, Dhaka :
A seminar was held in a moving launch on the Buriganga and Meghna rivers on Monday, aiming to focus on the river pollution and security.
Nongor, a social organisation working on river security, organised the seminar titled ‘Unity for Saving Rivers and River Security’ in a BIWTA launch that paraded routes from Sadarghat launch terminal in Dhaka to Chandpur through the Buriganga and Meghna rivers. “We’ve chosen the moving launch as the seminar venue so that discussants can realise the real scenario of river pollution and river security,” said Nongor Chairman Shumon Shams. He also demanded that May 23 be declared as the National River Safety Day.
Such a seminar enables the participants to see and understand the real pictures of the rivers, he said while talking to UNB. BIWTA officials, green activists, media persons and representatives from launch owners attended the seminar. Speaking on the occasion, Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) Chairman Commodore M Mozammel Haque said the use of radar, GPS and echo-sound systems is going to be made mandatory for all river vessels for plying at night to avert any accident. He said monitoring has been strengthened so that no unfit vessel can ply the river routes. Noting that work to prepare a database of the country’s river vessels is underway, Mozammel Haque said it will be completed in the next 2-4 years.
“Once the database is prepared, people can know details about the fitness of a vessel using software,” he said.
Another modern launch terminal will be constructed near Sadarghat considering the huge pressure of passengers, the BIWTA chairman said.
A seminar was held in a moving launch on the Buriganga and Meghna rivers on Monday, aiming to focus on the river pollution and security.
Nongor, a social organisation working on river security, organised the seminar titled ‘Unity for Saving Rivers and River Security’ in a BIWTA launch that paraded routes from Sadarghat launch terminal in Dhaka to Chandpur through the Buriganga and Meghna rivers. “We’ve chosen the moving launch as the seminar venue so that discussants can realise the real scenario of river pollution and river security,” said Nongor Chairman Shumon Shams. He also demanded that May 23 be declared as the National River Safety Day.
Such a seminar enables the participants to see and understand the real pictures of the rivers, he said while talking to UNB. BIWTA officials, green activists, media persons and representatives from launch owners attended the seminar. Speaking on the occasion, Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) Chairman Commodore M Mozammel Haque said the use of radar, GPS and echo-sound systems is going to be made mandatory for all river vessels for plying at night to avert any accident. He said monitoring has been strengthened so that no unfit vessel can ply the river routes. Noting that work to prepare a database of the country’s river vessels is underway, Mozammel Haque said it will be completed in the next 2-4 years.
“Once the database is prepared, people can know details about the fitness of a vessel using software,” he said.
Another modern launch terminal will be constructed near Sadarghat considering the huge pressure of passengers, the BIWTA chairman said.
