JS body for strengthening shipping management

Parliamentary standing committee on the shipping ministry recommended Thursday to complete the dredging of Mongla-Ghasiakhali channel within next June.

It also suggested to control movements of water vessels in the Shyala river before completing the dredging and control access and movement in the conserved area to protect wild animals in light of the Bangladesh Wild Animal Preservation (Amended) Act 1974 and to prevent degradation of environment. The committee decided to hold a joint a meeting in this connection with the parliamentary standing committee on the environment and forest ministry.

The recommendations came at the 10th meeting of the committee at the parliament building with the chairman Major (retd) Rafiqul Islam in the chair.

Other committee members including shipping minister Shahjahan Khan, Abdul Hye, Nurul Islam Sujon, M Abdul Latif, Anwarul Azim and Mamata Begum were present among others, in the meeting.

The committee suggested to strengthen shipping management, fix duties of the relevant agencies and departments to prevent river accidents, determine their capacity and immediate appointment of skilled manpower. The committee suggested the shipping secretary to  appoint adequate number of shipping inspectors on priority basis taking the number of vessels into consideration.

In the meeting, the overall activities of Bangladesh Marine Academy and National Maritime Institute were discussed.

Besides the committee gave guidelines to brighten the country's image abroad, creating job opportunity for the marine cadets and employ female cadets in the private commercial vessels along with the government ships.  

In another meeting of parliamentary standing committee on the railway ministry eviction of all the illegal structures by the rail line was suggested to recover the encroached land of railway.

The committee also recommended to scrutinize the feasibility of constructing rail line from Katakhali to Bhanga and start intercity rail service in Panchgarh-Thakurgaon route.

The recommendations were made at the 8th meeting of the committee at parliament building. Committee chairman ABM Fazle Karim Chowdhury chaired the meeting.