Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus has voiced his pleasure regarding the decision to refurbish and reintroduce the hundred-year-old BIWTC paddle steamer PS Mahsud as a tourist cruise.
“Our heritage must not be lost,” the chief adviser stated when Shipping Adviser Brigadier General (Retd) Dr M Sakhawat Hussain updated him on the project at the state guesthouse Jamuna this afternoon.
Present at the discussion were the Chief Adviser’s Special Envoy on International Affairs Lutfey Siddiqi, Shipping Secretary Dr Nurun Nahar Chowdhury, and Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) Chairman Md Salim Ullah, according to a press release from the Chief Advisor’s Press Wing.
On this subject, Yunus remarked, “Bangladesh’s varied boat designs are renowned globally. However, many members of our younger generations are unaware of them. We cannot permit this heritage to disappear. Steps should be implemented to safeguard all antique watercraft, including paddle steamers.”
BIWTC officials conveyed confidence that once the paddle steamer is operational again, it will become a significant draw for local and foreign tourists alike.
The tourist cruise will provide traditional Bangladeshi food, live Bengali music, and other cultural activities, they mentioned, also noting that the service will run daily, providing visitors with both five-hour excursions and shorter two-to-three-hour voyages.
Applauding the endeavour, the chief adviser said, “These classic paddle steamers ought to exhibit their history so passengers can discover when the steamer was constructed, what the fare was back then, and the tales associated with it. This historical account needs to be presented attractively.”
Observing that PS Mahsud is more than just a boat but a vibrant emblem of Bangladesh’s river-based culture and legacy, Sakhawat Hussain said, “We desire for the younger generation to see for themselves that rivers were once the core of our connectivity and culture.”
He notified that alongside PS Mahsud, initiatives are in progress to restore other vintage steamers, such as PS Ostrich and PS Lepcha.
Sakhawat mentioned that the authorities are contemplating starting a comparable tourist steamer operation on the Kaptai Lake in Chattogram.
Based on information from BIWTC officials, specific educational trips might be organized for school and college pupils on particular occasions, allowing the youth to encounter and understand Bangladesh’s precious heritage.
