Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan speaking at a discussion aboard a vessel in the river Buriganga Wednesday — PID Photo Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan on Wednesday said the government will take necessary measures to ensure safety of waterway passengers during Eid-ul-Fitr.
Law-enforcement agencies have been given directives to make sure the safe journey of launch, trawler and steamer passengers, he added.
"We'll do everything to ensure safety of passengers heading homeward during Eid," Shajahan told a discussion held on floating ship 'Sandhani' in the Buriganga river in Sadarghat area.
Nongghor, a social platform working to ensure safety of waterway passengers, organised the event.
The minister said the government will show zero tolerance to river polluters as well as grabbers. "We'll show zero tolerance to those involved in polluting rivers and grabbing land," he said in a strongly-worded warning.
Mr Khan said zero tolerance is being shown to militants, terrorists and drugs traders during the ongoing operations.
He said awareness among launch owners, workers and passengers has helped reduce inland waterway accidents.
The government has been observing river route safety week during monsoon.
The country had 24,000-kilometre river route, but it has now reduced to 3,600 kilometres only due to negligence on part of the previous governments.
The present government has recovered and re-excavated 1,500 kilometres of the river routes since 2009.
Mr Khan said 14 dredgers have been procured from the 2009-2014 period. The process is underway to procure 20 more dredgers.
It is to be noted that 300 passengers of 'MV Lighting Sun' drowned as the vessel sank in the Meghna at dead of night for natural calamity on May 23, 2004.
Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority chairman Cdre M Mozammel Hoque and Shipping Department director general Cdre Syed Ariful Islam, among others, attended the event chaired by Nongghor president Suman Shams.
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