Mongla-Ghasiakhali Channel \\\'to reopen in 4 months\\\'

Good news awaits the people living nearby the Sundarbans as well as its wildlife as the massive shipping now taking place across the rivers in the mangrove forest is expected to come to an end in 4 months' time with the reopening of Mongla-Ghasiakhali Channel soon. Chairman of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) Shamsuddoha Khandaker said that the dredging of the 22- kilometre (km) Mongla-Ghasiakhali Channel on the Kumarkhali River is going to be completed in 4 months’ time that will turn the old route of Bangladesh-India shipping navigable again and relieve the mangrove forest of the unwanted oil-tankers and cargo ships. The biodiversity of the world's largest mangrove forest is being affected due to the widespread plying of oil-tankers and cargo vessels since the Mongla-Ghasiakhali Channel was abandoned for international shipping 3-and-half-year ago, he said, according to UNB.