Shipping Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam on Monday told Parliament that the government has introduced a modern navigation system on key inland river routes and undertaken a series of long-term projects to ensure safe, uninterrupted navigation and maintain navigability throughout the year.
“The government is modernising the country’s inland water transport system by installing advanced navigational aids equipped with remote monitoring technology to improve the safety and efficiency of river transport,” he said responding to a written question from ruling party MP Khairul Kabir Khokon (Narsingdi-1).
The minister said under the Bangladesh Regional Waterway Transport Project-1 (BRWTP-1), Aids to Navigation (ATON) integrated with a Remote Monitoring System (RMS) have been installed on several important waterways, including the Ghorashal-Mymensingh route on the Shitalakkhya River, the Nabinagar Link Channel-5 on the Meghna River and the Ashuganj-Munshiganj stretch.
“This enables real-time monitoring of buoys and beacons, and allows rapid detection of any faults,” he said.
According to the minister, the technology has significantly strengthened the country’s river navigation management by enabling continuous monitoring of navigational equipment, reducing operational disruptions and improving vessel safety on busy inland routes.
He said the government has also adopted long-term measures to address seasonal fluctuations in river navigability caused by siltation and changing water levels during the monsoon and dry seasons.
Rabiul Alam told the House that several development projects and feasibility studies have been undertaken to restore nearly dead rivers, improve navigability and establish integrated river management across different regions.
The proposed development projects include an integrated river management initiative involving capital dredging to improve navigability, drainage, tourism, wetland ecosystems, irrigation and landing facilities in the greater Sylhet region, he said.
Other planned projects include improving waterway communication between Chattogram, Hatiya, Chairmanghat and Bhasan Char, and dredging the Upper Meghna River from Raypara to Bhater Char adjacent to the Cumilla Economic Zone to enhance navigability.
The minister said the government has also launched several feasibility studies to identify sustainable river management solutions.
These include a study on improving navigability and integrated river management in Khulna division, including the M-G Canal system, through better drainage, wetland conservation, irrigation and landing facilities.
Another study is examining capital and maintenance dredging in Barishal division to improve navigability, strengthen drainage, prevent waterlogging, expand irrigation facilities and develop landing stations.
A separate feasibility study is also underway to improve inland water transport and landing facilities in the Chattogram Hill Tracts.
“Once these projects are approved, the length of navigable waterways will increase, reducing seasonal variations in navigability during both the monsoon and dry seasons,” Rabiul Alam said.
He said the government’s long-term strategy aims to ensure uninterrupted inland water transport while promoting integrated river management, improving connectivity, facilitating trade and commerce, supporting irrigation and tourism, and protecting river ecosystems through sustainable dredging and infrastructure development.
