Four new dredgers to help ease navigability

MANIKGANJ, Nov 8: Brigadier General (Retd) Dr M Sakhawat Hossain, Adviser to the Ministry of Shipping, has said that four new high-frequency dredgers have been introduced to address the country's navigability crisis.
He made the remarks on Saturday while speaking to journalists after inaugurating the BIWTA's newly-built dredger 'Andharmanik-1' on the Jamuna River in Aricha, Manikganj.
"These dredgers can operate at much greater depths. They have just been deployed and were assembled in our country," said the adviser. "Although the technology is not locally developed, the entire structural assembly was completed domestically."
Dr Hossain added that the actual expenditure for the dredgers was lower than the estimated cost. "The four dredgers were built at a cost of about Tk 450 crore (4.50 billion). If we had imported them, the cost would have been around Tk 700 to 800 crore (7.0-8.0 billion)," he said.
"Even though these dredgers use foreign technology, building them locally has saved money and helped our engineers and technicians gain valuable experience," he noted.
Regarding dredged sand management, the adviser said a new plan was being formulated. "As land space is limited in our country, we can't dump dredged sand everywhere. Therefore, we plan to attach a dump barge to each dredger so that the sand can be temporarily stored and later dumped at designated sites. This will be included in our next operational plan," he explained.
On the modernisation of Chattogram Port, Dr Hossain emphasised the need for foreign management and investment. "Our Chattogram Port is not yet fully modernised. To attract investment and enhance operations, foreign management is essential," he said.
"Those whose personal interests are affected often claim that we are handing over the port to foreigners. But that's not true. Many sectors, including the garment industry, already involve foreign companies. In many countries, ports are managed by foreign entities, and they benefit greatly from it," he added.
He further mentioned that a proposal had been made to provide high-speed boats to the River Police. "We have advised the Home Affairs Adviser to provide such boats. He informed us that a project proposal had already been submitted. Once approved, we will either purchase or manufacture the boats locally," Dr Hossain said.
Referring to the development of Nagarbari River Port, the adviser said, "Local traders have already started reaping the benefits of this port. We also plan to introduce container handling facilities here in the future."
According to BIWTA sources, the Nagarbari river terminal plays a vital role in transporting fertiliser, cement, coal, and other heavy goods. The modernisation project began in 2018, and despite delays due to land acquisition complications and legal issues, the construction is now complete.
Built on 36 acres of land, the modern port features a 360-meter concrete jetty, terminal building, warehouses, open sheds, and rapid cargo handling facilities. With cranes and a permanent jetty, cargo unloading speed has increased tenfold from 2,000 tonnes per day previously to as much as 20,000 tonnes now.
Local traders and workers said that previously, loading and unloading were done manually, slowing trade activities. "Now, cargo ships can directly reach Nagarbari from the Chittagong Port, and goods can easily be transported by road to northern districts. This will save both time and cost," they said.
The inauguration ceremony was presided over by BIWTA Chairman Commodore Arif Ahmed Mostafa and attended by Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Shipping Delowara Begum, senior officials from the ministry and BIWTA, as well as local administration representatives.

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