River Police, Noujan Sangram Committee swing into action
To stop illegal plying of bulk-heads and serial-less ships in port area and inland maritime routes
Nazimuddin Shyamol | Monday, 6 July 2020
CHATTOGRAM, July 05: Members of Bangladesh River Police and Combined Noujan Sangram Committee of the Bangladesh Cargo Vessels Owners Association (BCVOA) have swung into action to stop illegal plying of bulk-heads and other ships who ply without schedule in Outer Anchorage and Karnaphuli River in the port area violating maritime law.
They have began a drive against the smaller-draft vessels on Saturday to pave the way for restoring a situation in which authorised inland cargo vessels and lighterage ships can uninterruptedly carry cargoes between the port area and the inland maritime destinations.
Earlier, a section of importers and unscrupulous traders allegedly used the bulk-heads to unload cargoes from mother vessels and big ships in the Outer Anchorage of the sea port and bring the goods to jetties and inland depots (warehouses) violating the country's maritime rule.
Besides, the committee members will also take action against lighterages which illegally carry goods from mother vessels in Outer Anchorage to other parts of the country through inland maritime routes, BCVOA leaders said.
On the first day, the committee members seized documents of 22 vessels, including bulk-heads and lighterage ships that were carrying goods on inland maritime routes without the concerned authorities' approval. They submitted to the confiscated documents to the director general (DG) shipping for taking legal action against the violators.
On Sunday, river police and committee members jointly raided Muktarpur, Gojaria, Meghna Ghat and other inland maritime route areas.
With cooperation from police and other law enforcers, they began the raid from Lalkuti Ghat area to Daudkandi by Sonartori Ship to restore the system on inland maritime routes. Documents of several lighterage ships that were carrying goods on the inland maritime routes without serial of Water Transport Cell (WTC) were seized, said officials.
Mentionably, The Financial Express published a report on July 3 regarding the carrying of goods by bulk-heads and other unauthoeised vessels illegally.
Maritime Department officials said, the maritime law permits carrying of goods from mother vessels in Outer Anchorage of Chittagong Port by smaller vessels which obtain clearance from the concerned authorities and maintain serial.
Bangladesh Ship Handling and Berth Operators Association had sent a letter to the Maritime Department chairman on June 4 requesting him to stop carrying of goods by bulk-head vessels and lighterages which do the job breaking schedule.
The Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) has also informed the matter to the Maritime Department of Bangladesh and more action will follow against the bulk-heads and other illegal vessels, concerned officials said.