Syful Islam
Three petroleum marketing companies -- Padma, Meghna and Jamuna -- have been given two years to convert their single-hull double-bottom tankers into double hull double bottom for carrying oil safely through the Shela river of the Sundarbans, officials said.
The decision was taken recently as only one-fourth of total number of tankers of the three companies are double hull double bottom while the rest are of single hull double bottom.
The government in January this year had decided to allow only oil tankers having double hull double bottom to carry heavy grade oil on inland coastal routes to evade incidents like the one that occurred in the Shela river where 350,000 litres of furnace oil were spilled out.
The Bangladesh Oil Tankers Owners Association recently informed the parliamentary standing company on the ministry of shipping (MoS) that the decision would allow only 51 tankers out of a total 217 tankers to ply through the river.
They said the rest 166 tankers having double bottom single hull would not be able to ply through the Shela river due to the decision and they will get very few numbers of trips causing financial loss to the companies.
Besides, carrying petroleum to the country's northern and western regions will also face difficulties, they added.
Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan at a recent meeting at the MoS said the sudden decision of stopping double-bottom single-hull oil tankers through the Shela river, which will block plying of a large number of vessels, may lead to unrest and criticism from different quarters.
He said at least two years' time has to be given to take preparation before implementation of the decision.
The three companies will convert their tankers to double hull double bottom in two years so that all of their tankers can ply safely through the Shela river, especially when the sea becomes rough during June-August period.
The meeting decided that during the next two years, until the tankers are converted to double bottom double hull, the tankers with double bottom single hull will be allowed to ply through the Shela river only in day-light. These, however, would not be allowed to ply through the river during foggy days, incessant rainy days, and in rough weather.
After the oil tanker sinking in the Shela river in the Sundarbans in December last year, the forest, which is a home to rare
species of Irrawaddy and Ganges dolphins, more than 250 species of birds, Indian python, and Royal Bengal tigers, faced a disaster-like situation.
A study carried out by Khulna University (KU) after the incident found that the presence of primary food producers like phytoplankton and zooplankton had decreased significantly in the contaminated water of the river.
It said the food chain of aquatic species living in the Sundarbans has faced severe disruption due to the oil spill in the river water.
However, a team of experts of the United Nations found 'limited immediate impact' on the ecosystem of the forest following the oil spill.
But they termed the accident as 'a wake-up call' for the government and suggested that movement of vessels through the Sundarbans should be banned.
In the meantime, on May 5 this year a cargo vessel carrying 200 tonnes of potash fertiliser sank in the Bhola river in Sarankhola Range of the Sundarbans.
syful-islam@outlook.com