Home ›› 06 May 2023 ›› Front
The government has decided to modernise the Baghabari river port, one of the most important river ports in Bangladesh, for ensuring the supply of fertilisers and fuels in the northern region of the country.
The Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) under the shipping ministry will implement the project by 2026 at an estimated cost of Tk 573.16 crore, according to sources familiar with the matter.
The decision was taken in a recent meeting of the Project Evaluation Committee of the Physical Infrastructure Division of the Planning Commission.
Baghabari river port started operating in 1983. The modernisation project includes construction of infrastructure facilities at the port located on the west bank of the Jamuna River in Shahjadpur upazila of Sirajganj. It is expected to further develop the water connectivity in the northern region with other parts of the country.
The major activities of the project are: acquisition of two acres of land, 1.15 lakh cubic metres of land development, 53.50 lakh cubic metres of capital dredging, 26.80 lakh cubic metres of dredging, 5,561 square metres of RCC jetty and access bridge construction, 626 metres of embankment and 45,700 square metre RCC pavement internal port road construction.
BIWTA Chairman Commodore Arif Ahmed Mostafa said, “Since the port is on the banks of the Jamuna River, it will become an important gateway for northern regions--Rajshahi and Rangpur divisions - considering the navigability of the waterway.”
“In that case, it would be rational to take up the modernisation and development activities of Baghabari port after identifying its importance properly on the basis of financial and economic factors.”
Officials said a prime minister’s directive was sent to the shipping ministry on 16 April 2015 from the Cabinet Division regarding the modernisation of the Baghabari port to ensure smooth transport services to increase the scope of port services.
They also said a feasibility study on the modernisation project was conducted by BIWTA in 2017, following which a development project proposal (DPP) was sent to the shipping ministry on December 29, 2017. Following recommendations from authorities concerned, a revised DPP was sent on July 25, 2018.
Planning Commission Physical In frastructure Division Member (Secretary) Mohammad Emdad Ullah Mian said a feasibility study on the project was carried out several years ago. It is necessary to take up the project after assessing the feasibility study in the present context.
He further said it is necessary to review whether there is any duplicity between this project and another river port project titled “Construction of river port with ancillary facilities at Nagarbari (1st Revised)” in Nagarbari of Pabna.
