Waterways

The landscape of Bangladesh is dominated by about 250 rivers providing over 5,000 miles [8,000 km) of navigable waterways. Country-made boats are the most widely used carrier one can see in the rivers and rivulets. They carry passengers and merchandise on a large scale. Mechanized Water transport is mainly operated by the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC), which run ferry and launch services on the main routes. There are also water transport services run by private companies.

Waterways: 5,150-8,046 km navigable waterways (includes 2,575-3,058 km main cargo routes)
Ports and harbors: Chittagong, Dhaka, Mongla Port
Merchant marine:
total: 40 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 315,855 GRT/453,002 DWT
ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 33, oil tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 2 (1998 est.)

Courtesy http://www.bangla2000.com/Bangladesh/transportation.shtm

http://www.biwtc.gov.bd/index.php

What do you think about our Water Transport?

Do you feel Private sectors will run much better than BIWTC?

Just saw this in ATN News

Workers set fire to launches on Buriganga
Sun, May 4th, 2008 1:28 pm BdST



Dhaka, May 4 (bdnews24.com) – Angry workers set fire to two launches on the Buriganga Sunday, protesting the closure of a pier at Gudaraghat, across from Sadarghat, a police official said.

Sub-inspector of Keraniganj Police Station Abdur Rashid said: "Agitating people set fire to the launches after the BIWTA ordered the pier closed."

"We are finding it difficult to control the situation," Rashid said.

The launches that came under arson attacks are Obhijan-3, which was bound for Barisal from Dhaka, and Riaz-4, bound for Fatullah.




http://bdnews24.com/details.php?cid=2&id=51613

What do you think about our Water Transport?

Do you feel Private sectors will run much better than BIWTC?

Private sectors will always excel at managing any business compared to a govt owned company. But a permanent dredging company should be form immediately to continue the viability of the inland water transportation.

I found a wonderful website abound the classification and shipbuilding of inland watercraft in Russia. They have exemplary tradition of building advanced craft like the 'Raketa' class hydrofoils. The traditional class craft are very good too and seem appropriate for our uses.

Russian rivercraft (http://www.riverships.ru/index.shtml)

People going to their families to celebrate Eid together.

http://www.thedailystar.net/photo/2009/09/20/2009-09-20__f01.jpg

Scary. Got any solution?

may God save them

People going to their families to celebrate Eid together.

http://www.thedailystar.net/photo/2009/09/20/2009-09-20__f01.jpg

Scary. Got any solution?

Have life jackets for all.

Have life jackets for all.

More practical solution would be to design low or shallow draft launches using two hulls joined by beams side by side called a catamaran or double hull boat. That is the best way to ensure stability. Catamaran and tri-marans are basically unsinkable.

a) The govt. should mandate and encourage this by giving subsidy for building these catamaran designs.

b) The operators can advertise these as 'significantly safer' and maybe charge premium fare. The novelty would pay off.

Here's a pic of a smaller launch in China,

http://mec.en.alibaba.com/viewimg/photo/239686826/Double_Hull_Passenger_Boat.jpg.html

People going to their families to celebrate Eid together.


Scary. Got any solution?

How abt builiding more bridges over all the rivers in Bangladesh

Re-defining " Brainstorm"
This is the "Extreme Solution" to Bangladesh water trasportation problem. I do not intent to make lite of the grave issues in water transportation.

I just came across these in yet another afternoon wasting precious time surfing the net. I really think the Buses are awesome.

The following article and the pics are from
http://www.heycar.com/amphicoach-amphibious-bus/


Amphicoach called, it is the first amphibious bus that has been built under the strict supervision of Lloyd’s Register. Due to the high stability of the vehicle and the safety features they have, this is a great technological advancement.

This vehicle meets all requirements and fully complies with the legal provisions of the European Union, including noise levels, the levels of exhaust emission, etc.

The Amphicoach is built on the island of Malta and has a retail price of around $ 405,000. It is estimated that only 12 units will be manufactured this year


http://www.heycar.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/amphicoach-heycar-com-06.jpg

http://www.heycar.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/amphicoach-heycar-com-01.jpg

http://www.heycar.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/amphicoach-heycar-com-02.jpg

http://www.heycar.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/amphicoach-heycar-com-03.jpg

http://www.heycar.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/amphicoach-heycar-com-04.jpg

http://www.heycar.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/amphicoach-heycar-com-05.jpg

http://www.heycar.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/amphicoach-heycar-com-07.jpg

http://www.heycar.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/amphicoach-heycar-com-08.jpg

http://www.heycar.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/amphicoach-heycar-com-09.jpg


It is expenssive for mass transportation but may be a thought in Package Tours business. No Bridge, not a problem !!


Just a thought !!!!!!

^^
we have amphibius buses like that in Toronto but only for tourism.

Looks what happens on this side of the border happens on the other side too.

18 drown as boat sinks in West Bengal
Afp, Kolkata

At least 18 people, including 11 children, died after an overcrowded boat capsized in a river in the eastern Indian state of West Bengal, police said Monday.

The small vessel, with 38 passengers on board, sank on Sunday while crossing the Runarayan river in Kolaghat, about 50 kilometres (30 miles) southwest of the state capital Kolkata.

"The ferry was overcrowded and leaking, and it overturned in the middle of the river," West Bengal police inspector general Surojit Kar Purakayastha told AFP.

The vessel hit a bridge before it capsized, he said.

Eleven survivors were treated in hospital.

http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=120534

Bangladesh plans waterway transit for Bhutan

Dhaka: Bangladesh plans to have an exclusive Teesta river waterway transit for landlocked Bhutan, an official said.

A government committee is preparing the final documents to give transit facilities to neighbouring countries to enable them to reach Bangladesh's Chittagong and Mongla ports, the Daily Star newspaper said on Monday.



Teesta is one of the major river systems in the region. It flows through India into Bangladesh.

Bhutan Prime Minister L Thinley was here on a four-day visit last week when he proposed three-way talks between Bangladesh, Bhutan and India to speed up the transit issue.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina signed a joint communiqué for regional transit including Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Bhutan during her visit to India in January last year.

India has been providing access, and has agreed to develop air and road links that would facilitate regular movement of goods.

A senior member of Bangladesh government's transit sub-committee said the country is considering "potential routes" which could be included for regional connectivity, besides the "conventional routes".

A waterway transit for Bhutan from Bangladesh's Doikhawa border under Lalmonirhat district is likely, said the official who asked not to be named.

This is a potential transit route for Bhutan, as the country is eager to use Mongla Port, he added.

"We have already identified major conventional transit routes for India, Nepal and Bhutan. Now we are spotting new routes for them. We are also planning for a railway transit among the South Asian nations," the official said.

Studies are still progressing on transit fees and infrastructures, he said.

The government formed five sub-committees on December 13, assigning five specialists to give their input to Mojibur Rahman, chief of the core committee.

IANS

4 city canals still under grabbers' grip

Dhaka district admin fails to meet its January deadline to recover five canals
Tawfique Ali
Dhaka district administration failed to recover city's four canals and file a single case against illegal housing projects occupying rivers during its month-long deadline ending in January. It however partially recovered one canal.

An inter-agency meeting of the administration decided to recover Devdholai (Kajlar Khal) in Demra, part of Ramchandrapur Khal out of Dhaka embankment, Baunia Khal (canal) in Uttara, Ulan Khal in Rampura and the main Kalyanpur Khal.

The canals are either grabbed by government agencies or private housing projects, as per findings of district administration's survey.

A High Court bench in June 2009, among other directions, directed authorities to free Buriganga, Turag, Balu and Shitalakhya rivers from various encroachments by November 30, 2010.

Later, the administration concerned obtained an extension of the deadline till May 30 this year.

At the meeting held at the end of December 2010, Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Dhaka Mohibul Haque instructed all assistant commissioners (land) concerned with the rivers to identify and inform him of the river grabbers with housing projects.

Assistant commissioner (land) of Keraniganj was instructed to place the list of land grabbers of Sobhadda Khal, which has been grabbed and recovered several times in the past.

But none of the assistant commissioners came up with the information though they held a similar meeting on February 13.

Asked on failure to file criminal cases against the river grabbers, the DC said, "District administration has to remain preoccupied with many other jobs."

According to officials concerned, two roads occupy Devdholai canal.

Habibur Rahman Mollah, local lawmaker of Demra, filled a stretch of the canal, four kilometre in length and 30 to 50 feet in width, for the construction of a road by Local Government Engineering Department. Dhaka Wasa owns this part of the canal for drainage of urban flood.

Habibur said the road occupies only several feet of the canal's width and was in the interest of the public.

Roads and Highways Department completely filled the other part, owned by Water Development Board, to build Dhaka-Narayanganj Road.

Regarding this canal, the DC said he placed the matter to the national taskforce on river and canal recovery on February 3 and they would instruct him for further developments. The part occupied by the road is irreversible, he added.

On the other hand, Ramchandrapur canal is occupied by different housing projects.

Nabinagar Housing occupies 1.7 acres of land, Sat Masjid Housing Ltd 72 decimals, Chandrima Housing 80 decimals, Ekota Housing 50 decimals, Dhaka Uddyan Housing 8 decimals and Basila Garden City and Future Housing Ltd 20 decimals each, he said.

Baitul Noor Jannat Jam-e Mosque also occupies 30 decimals while Mina Bazar 7 decimals, added Bashar.

Dhaka district administration served notices upon these grabbers with a February 10 deadline, he said.

Baunia canal has been acquired and filled up by Rajdhani Unnayan Katripakkha, said Abul Bashar Md Fakruzzaman, revenue deputy collector and executive magistrate of Dhaka.

The stretch of Ulan canal within Hatirjheel development project will be restored as part of the project, said Bashar.

However, during the deadline, the administration carried eviction drives and almost freed Kalyanpur main canal from illegal structures.

They also carried eviction drives in Turag River near Tongi Bridge to remove illegal structures and in Buriganga River in Mohammadpur to remove earth filling by sand traders.

Meanwhile, a mobile court led by Magistrate Bashar penalised three sand traders for earth filling in Turag River at Amin Bazar on February 3.

A joint team of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority and Dhaka district administration also freed a stretch of Buriganga River foreshore in Lalbagh on February 14.

Source: The Daily Star

Better waterways by 2013

Says shipping minister
Star Correspondent

The government is seriously considering river dredging to revive the waterways in a bid to boost the transportation system, said Shipping Minister Shahjahan Khan yesterday.

“The government is keen to make the communications system through waterways a better one by 2013. Also we want to make the Chittagong port efficient and competitive than other regional ports,” said Shahjahan.

“For this, we have taken several initiatives, including purchasing dredgers to revive the country's waterways to help reduce the transport cost and ease local business activities,” he said.

He said the government is trying to solve problems of Chittagong port that holds back the growth of the port.

The minister was speaking at a seminar titled Safe Port Issue in the Context of Ctg Port, organised by the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT), Bangladesh Council at the LGED auditorium in the city.

He, however, admitted the government's poor capacity in dredging rivers and said that reviving the 21,000 km waterways will help ease the transport cost and enhance economic activities.

“The capacity of public sector is still poor, and the government's procurement policy takes longer period of time that slows the river dredging policy. So, we are encouraging the private sector to come up for dredging rivers,” said the minister.

In his keynote paper, Mohiuddin Abdul Kadir, fellow of CILT, suggested the government improve bilateral relations with neighbours to give them the its services.

He stressed the need for ensuring appropriate traffic management system, and forming a task force to investigate complains by master vessels and ship owners against local agents.

Source: The Daily Star