Formation of authority for waterways emphasised

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FE Report The threatened waterways of our country needs to be saved for sustenance in terms of economic development, food security, maintenance of sound ecosystem and controlling unexpected flood, said speakers at a seminar Tuesday held at Dhaka Reporters' Unity. The seminar, titled 'Distressed waterways and our present responsibilities' was organised by Jono Udjog and Paribesh Banchao Andolon (POBA). The seminar was addressed, among others, by Rashed Khan Menon, MP, President, Bangladesh Workers' Party, Dr Rahmatullah, former Director, The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), Dr Md Shamsuddoha Khandakar, Chairman, Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA), Dr Rashid-e-Mahbub, former President of Bangladesh Medical Association (BMA), Engr M Inamul Huq, Numan Ahmed Khan, Executive Director, Institute for Environment and Development (IED), Abu Naser Khan, Chairman, POBA, Mahbubuddin Ahmed Bir Bikram, President, Cargo Vessel Owners' Association and Chowdhury Ashikul Alam, General Secretary, Water Vessel Workers' Federation. A study presented in the seminar, revealed that the waterway and the road network of our country were respectively 12000 km and 2500 km at the time of independence in 1971 and now waterway routes have come down to only 4500 km whereas the road network expanded to 25000 km. Rashed Khan Menon said, "Our concern is only about roads due to the increasing number of accidents rather than water and railway network." He said that there was always a tendency to prepare a small budget for the water network as no important issues regarding the waterways are raised in parliament. He also emphasised formation of an authority for waterways that will be responsible to preserve and protect those. He also gave importance to capital dredging for continuing the navigability of the waterways. Abu Naser Khan opined on forming an authority for waterways to save those from misuse. He said, "If any kind of initiative is not taken right now to protect our water bodies then it will become a great threat to our environment as well as for our existence." Md Shamsuddoha Khandakar said, "Industries and houses are being built in an unplanned way by filling up the water bodies. If it continues then the ground water level will come down and the biodiversity will be threatened." He also emphasized to discourage human interference in the water bodies for the sake of a sound environment. Rahmatullah said, "Our waterways are being marginalised in a planned way which will create a problem in our irrigation system." He also said that importance was being given to road transport resulting in cultivable land being turned into road network. Mahbubuddin Ahmed Bir Bikram said, "The area of our water bodies are decreasing day by day due to the absence of a proper environmental study prior to constructing any infrastructure."