Home ›› 22 Jan 2022 ›› Nation
Poor navigability in the River Jamuna is severely disrupting the movement of vessels, much to the inconvenience of cargo boats plying the regional waterways in Bogura’s Dhunat upazila.
A large number of vessels carrying fertilisers visit different river ports in Jamalpur and Sirajganj from Dhunat’s Shohorabari Ghat for transporting goods using the waterways. However, due to the navigability issue, traders see no way but to transport cargo using highways, which costs significantly more.
Not only that, people living in at least 20 riverine charlands beside the River Jamuna (east and west side), including Jamalpur, Sirajganj’s Jamtoil, Dhara Barsha, Manik Dayr, Dakatmara, Bohail, Majhira, Shangkerpur, Natuar Para, Tarakandi, suffer a lot because of the lingering problem.
The poor navigability affects the fertiliser industry the most, because transportation through waterways offer an easier and more economical way to transport the goods from Jamuna Fertiliser Company Ltd in Jamalpur – one of the largest fertiliser factories in Bangladesh – to other northern districts.
Authorities concerned usually lease these lands on a yearly basis to different local traders, and they facilitate vessel transportation at the Shohorabari Ghat by imposing tolls.
Moqbul Hossain, a regular passenger at the river port, told The Business Post that they have to change two boats and walk a mile in the sandy wetlands to cross the river. “It is really inconvenient for us to suffer this much hassle to cross this river every day,” he said.
Dula Miah, a boatman of the ghat, said, “We face many difficulties moving our boats through these wetlands. These river islands had suddenly emerged in the river, and our boats started getting stuck every now and then.
“We have to work much harder, but the payment is the same, actually sometimes less as the number of passengers is decreasing day by day.”
Jamat Ali, Rustam Bepari, Azahar Palawan, farmers from Bohail, Shankerpur, Naniar Char areas said hundreds of vessels transport goods through 20 routes in this river from the ghat. “We take our grains to the upazila Sadar through these routes hoping for a better return.
“But we are now facing many difficulties transporting these goods due to the poor navigability.”
Hazrat Ali, a lessor of the port, said he leased out the port for a year in return for Tk 20 lakh. “We have to bear the cost of two boats instead of one, and we are also facing other complications for the poor navigability.
“I am not sure if I would be able to make a profit this year.”
Shamim Hossain, president of the Fertiliser Owners Association of Dhunat, said, “Hundreds of charlands have emerged in these routes, and that is why the transportation system through River Jamuna is collapsing.
“In the Boro season, around 1,100 to 1,200 metric tonnes of fertiliser get transported from the Jamuna Fertiliser Company Ltd to different areas adjacent to the ghat. The demand for fertilisers would increase in the next couple of weeks. If the transportation system does not get better, we will face a significant financial loss.”
Addressing the issue, the district Deputy Commissioner Ziaul Haque said the district administration is not the designated authority on this matter. “However, we will contact Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority over this matter,” he added.
