State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury on Saturday said that the government has been working relentlessly to upgrade the shipping system of the country.
“Because of reopening the Balashi ghat to Bahadurabad ghat launch route, the people of eight northern districts would be able to go to Dhaka via Mymensingh within short time from now,” he said this after inaugurating a river terminal at Phulchhari upazila in Gaibandha as the chief guest.
The Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) has built the terminals with various infrastructures in both ghats at the cost of Tk 140 crore, he said, adding that dredging work has also been completed in 14km areas of the Brahmaputra River at a cost of Tk 24 crore for smooth launch movement.
The state minister also announced the naming of Balashi ghat after Fazley Rabbi Miah, who is now the deputy speaker of the Jatiya Sangsad.
Presided over by BIWTA Chairman Commodore Golam Sadeq, the programme was also addressed among others by Gaibandha Deputy Commissioner Oliur Rahman, Superintendent of Police Muhammad Towhidul Islam, Gaibandha district Awami League President Syed Shams-ul-Alam Hiru and General Secretary Abu Bakar Siddique, Phulchhari Upazila Parishad Chairman and President of the upazila Awami League GM Selim Parvez and its General Secretary Farzana Rabbi Bubli.
The speakers thanked the government for reopening the river route aimed at mitigating the sufferings of the people of eight northern districts.
