The government will spend Tk 980 million for building 45 terminal pontoons to facilitate the passengers at different river ports in the country, officials said.
Under the move, the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) which is under the Ministry of Shipping (MoS) has taken a project for building 'specialised terminal pontoons'.
The terminal pontoons will be built by Ananda Shipyard and Slipways Limited following an agreement that was made with the BIWTA recently.
"We hope Ananda Shipyard and Slipways Limited will complete the work across the country by December 2020," a high official of the MoS told the FE.
He said that apart from building terminal pontoons, the MoS has also taken several projects to develop and flourish the country's waterways.
He expressed optimism that the projects will improve the passengers' satisfaction significantly.
The shipping ministry official further said that the length of each pontoon will be 100 feet long with width 32 feet and depth 7.5 feet.
Of the terminal pontoons, 15 will be set up at Dhaka River Port Terminal at Sadarghat while four at Lalkuthighat, three at Wiseghat in Dhaka.
Four terminal pontoons will be set up at Narayanganj river port terminal, four at Chandpur river port terminal, three at Bhola river port terminal, three at Patuakhali river port terminal, one at Mirkadim river port terminal at Narayanganj, two at Fatullah launch ghat, two at Jalokathi river port, one at Hularhat launch ghat, one at Barguna river port and two at Khulna river port.
Meanwhile, State Minister for Shipping Khaled Mahmud Chowdhury inaugurated on Sunday building work of 45 terminal pontoons at Ananda Shipyard at Mehgna ghat at Sonargaon in Narayanganj, according to the MoS.
Chairman of BIWTA Commodore M Mahbub Ul Islam, Chairman of Ananda Shipyard and Slipways Limited Dr Abdullahel Bari and its Managing Director Afroza Bari, among others, were present.
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