The government has taken an initiative to introduce a state-of-the-art monitoring system soon to ensure transparency in the dredging work.
Under the move, Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) which is under the ministry of shipping (MoS) will set up "real time dredge monitoring system" within next one month.
"We are set to install the real time dredge monitoring system within next one month for ensuring transparency in the dredging work," a high official of the ministry told the FE on Wednesday.
He said the new dredging system will ensure an exact amount/length, time and places for dredging.
It will ensure transparency in the ongoing dredging work under the riverbed or underwater with an exact amount of dredging which needs to be done.
It will also help know about hours, days, depth, and alignment of dredging, according to the MoS.
The shipping ministry official further said the real time dredge system will first be introduced with dredger-based station at Shimuliaghat in Munshiganj, involving over Tk24 million.
Initially, this system will be set up at five dredgers. And after that it will be installed at 45 more dredgers.
The MoS will bear the cost from its innovation fund for installing the real time dredge system under a project being implemented by an American company.
The official said issue of introducing the dredge monitoring system came up for discussion at a meeting held at the shipping ministry last week.
State minister for shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury directed the ministry and BIWTA officials to gear up the ongoing project works.
At the meeting, he said the government will take necessary measures to keep the rivers navigable for ensuring smooth movement of river vessels and goods-laden ships during the coronavirus pandemic and Eid-ul-Azha.
The MoS has been implementing 51 projects involving around Tk 43.46 billion during the fiscal year 2020-21.
Of the total,42 projects are being implemented under annual development programme while nine by the ministry's own.
The ministry had completed 11projects during the last fiscal year. It has set a target to complete 13 projects in the current fiscal year.
Besides, the tenure of 14 projects taken up in the last fiscal year has been extended by one more year.
talhabinhabib@yahoo.com