Lack of jetties causing hardship for traders, labourers

CHANDPUR, May 07: Loading and unloading goods along the Meghna and Dakatia rivers in Chandpur's Puranbazar have become immensely challenging for traders and labourers over the absence of adequate number of pontoons, or jetties.
Nazmul Islam and Mainul Islam Kishore are among the trading association leaders who said at least two more pontoons are urgently needed at the No. 1 ghat and Dewanghat to help address the slow pace of loading and unloading as commodities worth at least Tk 400-500 million are traded in Puranbazar every day.
Goods handled by 5,000-6,000 labourers in the ghats include rice, flour, lentils, salt, edible oil, various metal spare parts, factory items, etc.
Puranbazar is a trade hub in Chandpur, from where goods are sent to distant market places through river routes.
The authorities from the Water Development Board, Chandpur, laid concrete cement blocks for goods onloading and discharge, but those often cause injuries to the labours as the path is uneven.
Talking to the FE, SC Roy, president of Chandpur Chamber of
Commerce and Industries, said, seeking more jetties, a document was
submitted in 2017 to the port authorities, including the then BIWTA, Chandpur, deputy director. The traders were assured that the infrastructure will be built in the soonest possible time. But, the assurance had not brought any results to much regret of the traders and labourers.
Md Kamruzzaman, deputy director of BIWTA, Chandpur, said he learnt about the problem recently.
He also said he will look into the matter and then write to higher authorities to resolve it.
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