State Minister for Shipping, Razib Ahsan, stated on Sunday that the government is working in a planned manner to restore the lost heritage of the country’s waterways and to regain public confidence.
He further noted that various development activities are being implemented to make maritime routes safer, more modern, and passenger-friendly.
The state minister made these remarks while inspecting the Chandpur river port on Sunday afternoon.
During his visit, Razib Ahsan emphasised that the government is giving the highest priority to ensuring the safe, comfortable, and uninterrupted movement of passengers during the holy Eid-ul-Adha.
To ensure a smooth journey for those returning to their workplaces after the festival, constant monitoring is being maintained at the country’s important ferry terminals and river ports.
He informed the press that intensive surveillance continues at major terminals to ensure passengers do not face any form of suffering. Initiatives have also been taken to identify and quickly resolve existing problems at the terminals and on the water routes.
Regarding the construction of the Chandpur modern river terminal, the State Minister explained that although some parts of the project are complete, the remaining work has stalled because the contracting firm stopped operations following the events of 5 August.
He assured that the remaining work would be completed through the appointment of a new contractor as soon as possible.
“Once the work on the Chandpur modern river terminal is finished, the river port will recover its lost heritage and importance, and the quality of passenger service will further increase,” he said.
Stressing the importance of restoring public trust, the state minister said that necessary dredging activities would be strengthened to keep the waterways active and safe. Furthermore, the government is working towards modernising the country’s river ports to meet contemporary standards.
He added that the waterways would be made more effective and passenger-friendly through the modernisation of pontoons, regular dredging, and the development of maritime infrastructure. The government is also taking necessary initiatives to operate high-speed and modern vessels in line with the changing times.
Arif Ahmed Mostafa, Chairman of the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA), and Advocate Selim Ullah Selim, Chairman of the Chandpur Zila Parishad, were present during the inspection, along with other officials from the ministry and related departments.
