First container river terminal to open in January

News was prepared under the information support of Online Daily Newspaper on Hellenic and international Shipping "Hellenic Shipping News".

31 May 2010

The first Inland Container River Terminal being built at an estimated cost of Taka 177 crore is likely to open early next year in the Buriganga River at Pangaon in Keraniganj upazila. The construction work of the container terminal will be completed next December and it is expected to start operating in full swing in January or February, officials said when Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan visited the site.
The minister was accompanied by Shipping Secretary Abdul Mannan Hawlader, Chairman of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) Abdul Malek Mia, Chairman of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation Golam Mostafa Kamal.
Shajahan Khan started his visit along with senior officials of different departments of the Shipping Ministry from Sinnirtek Landing Station in the Turag river at Ashuliya this morning.
He stopped at the Gabtoli Landing Station in the Buriganga river and inspected its terminal facilities for introducing circular waterways and the progress of drive by the BIWTA to remove illegal structures from the bank of the Buriganga.
Talking to journalists during the visit, the shipping minister said the government is working sincerely to demolish illegal structures on the banks of all rivers around Dhaka City to free the Buriganga from pollution.
He said he went to see the progress of introduction of circular waterways around Dhaka city as well as progress of Pangaon container terminal.
Shajahan said the eviction drive has already been started at Gabtoli area of the Buriganga river to remove illegal structures of sand traders.
Strong measures will be taken to demolish all illegal structures on the banks of the rivers around Dhaka city including the Buriganga, he said.
The minister said, "We are also working to clean the Buriganga river and protect its water from pollution to make Dhaka a livable city."
The BIWTA sources said a project of circular waterways around Dhaka (2nd phase) started in July, 2007 at a cost of Taka 65 crore and it will be completed by June 2012.
The activities of the project are; dredging of 34.73 lakh cubic meter silt from Ashulia to Kanchpur, digging of 13.35 lakh cubic meter in three canals (Rampura, Badda and Gubindapur) and establishment of landing facilities at Kanchpur.
Shajahan said two water busses will be introduced in the month of August this year as part of initiatives of opening circular waterways around Dhaka city. Gradually, more water busses will ply the circular waterways, he said.
BIWTA sources said the construction work of Inland Container River Terminal under the BIWTA and Chittagong Port Authorities was started in July 2005.
The main aim of construction of the container terminal is to transport containers of Chittagong and Mongla seaports through waterways across the country. At present, the containers are being transported by road and rail network involving more cost.
They said transportation cost of goods will reduce significantly after the opening of the container terminal that will also reduce pressure on road communications.

Source: The New Nation