Ambitious plan for waterway dredging in Bangladesh
Photo Credit: Adam Cohn
The Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) has signed an agreement with two contractors, Banga Dredgers Ltd and Dharti-Banga, for the deepening of 13 Chattogram-Dhaka-Ashunganj waterways in Bangladesh.
The waterway handles around 80% of the inland shipping in Bangladesh, and around 200,000 passengers use the route each day.
The contract, agreed with financial assistance from the World Bank, will incorporate excavation of 900km of waterways, as well as construction of cyclone shelters for ships. These will be constructed at Shatnal, Charbhairabi, Chandpur, Mehendiganj, Sandwip, and Nalchira.
The estimated total cost of the work is Tk 3349.42 crore (US$381m), of which Tk 3052.80 crore will be provided by World Bank as project assistance and Tk 296.62 crore by the Government of Bangladesh.
The work will benefit three ferry crossings, as well as four passenger and cargo terminals. Some 15 new landing stations will be established. It is scheduled for completion in December 2025.
State Minister for Shipping, Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury, was present at the signing ceremony between Project Director and Additional Chief Engineer of BIWTA, Md Ayub Ali, representatives of the Gulf Cobla-Karnaphuli joint venture, and representatives of the Dharti-Banga joint venture.
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