United News of Bangladesh

On the directive of the shipping adviser, the Ministry of Shipping has formed a three-member committee to investigate allegations of bribery involving officials of the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA). The committee has been tasked with examining video footage allegedly showing bribery in fuel oil contracting under BIWTA's Naval Conservation and Management Department. Within the next seven working days, the committee is tasked to identify those involved in the money transaction and submit a detailed investigation report with specific recommendations, the ministry said in a press release on Thursday. Shipping Ministry generates significant revenue in FY25, up almost 10% Besides, BIWTA also formed a separate internal investigation committee to look into the matter. Earlier on Wednesday, BIWTA’s Additional Director Md Abdur Rahim and Deputy Director Md Obaidul Karim Khan were temporarily suspended in connection with the incident.

Several illegal structures, including the riverside banglow of former State Minister for Power and Energy Nasrul Hamid were demolished on Wednesday during an eviction drive along the Buriganga River in Keraniganj. The Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) and Dhaka district administration conducted the drive from 10 am to 5 pm from Hasnabad Postgola to Kautail in South Keraniganj to free the river from encroachment. 120 illegal structures demolished in Gazipur; 1.95 acres of forest land reclaimed

Riverbank erosion in the Padma has taken a serious turn with the rising water level since mid-July, putting all ferry terminals at Daulatdia under threat. According to Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA), the three active terminals — No. 3, 4, and 7 — in Rajbari’s Goalanda upazila are now at serious risk of collapse. Although sandbags are being dumped as part of emergency repairs the measures are insufficient given the scale of the erosion, said locals. They said some adjoining villages  including Bahir Char Sattar Member Para, Mojid Matubber Para, and Shahadat Member Para as well as markets, mosques, schools, and madrasas are also in danger. BIWTA officials including the executive engineer of the Aricha office visited the site Saturday to assess the damage. They reported severe erosion in a two-kilometre stretch around the terminals particularly around No. 4 and 7 terminals where ferry pontoons are becoming increasingly unstable due to soil loss. Riverbanks residents alleged repeated delays in permanent river training. Dharla erosion steals homes and hopes in Lalmonirhat “Every monsoon brings the same problem, but no long-term solution,” said tea seller Shahin Sheikh. He also alleged irregularities in sandbag use. Local residents Altaf Molla, Shahadat Pramanik, and Moyan Sardar said they do not want relief and want only effective river management. They said they want to save their last refuge. “Many came with promises to prevent erosion but none kept their word,” said Altaf Molla. Mohammad Salah Uddin, Assistant General Manager of BIWTC’s Daulatdia office, said, “Erosion has made the ferry terminals vulnerable. We’ve requested BIWTA to take immediate measures. Although three terminals are still operational, if erosion worsens, it may disrupt the transportation of passengers and vehicles.” Panic grips Shariatpur residents as erosion resumes near Padma Bridge Nepal Chandra Debnath, Executive Engineer of the BIWTA Aricha office, said, “Terminals 4 and 7 are at highest risk, and we’ve informed the authorities. As part of emergency repairs, around 700 sandbags have been dumped recently. However, no bags have been placed in the central part of the terminal yet. We can complete the remaining work if we receive the required allocation.”

The Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) has suspended all launch services on six key internal routes in Bhola for Saturday due to inclement weather. Due to the impact of seasonal monsoon wind the coastal island district experienced overcast skies and intermittent heavy rainfall on Saturday morning. With the sea turning rough, the maritime ports have been advised to hoist Local Warning Signal No. 3. Hundred of commuters have been left stranded and are facing  hardships. Many desperate travelers are resorting to crossing the turbulent Meghna River in unauthorised and unsafe trawlers, particularly along the Ilisha–Lakshmipur route, raising serious concerns of potential accidents. Inclement weather halts water transport on Bhola-Lakshmipur route While ferry services on the Bhola–Ilisha route remain operational, the suspension of launches has caused massive overcrowding on ferries. During a visit to the Ilisha launch terminal in Bhola Sadar upazila, this correspondent observed a large number of passengers waiting to cross over to the Maju Chowdhury terminal in Lakshmipur. With both launch and sea truck operations halted people were forced to wait for hours. One ferry departed in the morning but passengers noted that it often takes 2 to 3 hours—or even longer—for the ferry to complete its journey. Some travellers die to urgent needs were seen paying exorbitant fares to cross the river using illegal trawlers, ignoring safety warnings. Passengers expressed frustration over the lack of public announcements regarding the suspension of launch services. Md. Moniruzzaman, the duty officer at the Bhola Meteorological Office, said 8.2 millimeters of rainfall were recorded in 24 hours from 6 a.m. on Saturday. Bhola River Port Traffic Officer Md. Jasim Uddin said  due to continued rough sea conditions the No. 3 warning signal remains in effect at all maritime ports. As a precaution, launch services have been suspended Ilisha – Lakshmipu, Daulatkhan – Alexander, Tajumuddin – Monpur, Monpura – Dhaka, Hatiya – Dhaka and Charfassion – Dhaka routes. These suspensions will remain in place until further notice.

Condemning the recent eviction drive of Bangladesh Inland and Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) in Ghorashal area of Palash upazila in Narsingdi, BNP standing committee member Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan has said that exploiting the poor can never be the rule of law in a democratic country. “During the drive, 300 shops were demolished, after failing to realise bribes from small traders and shopkeepers. The act of BIWTA not only destroyed their means of earning an honest livelihood but also pushed them towards starvation which is deeply heartbreaking,” he said. Dr Moyeen Khan came up with the remarks after visiting the affected area at Saddam Bazar in Palash upazila of Narsingdi district on Sunday. Condemning the incident, he said, "The people of the country will now think that we ousted an autocracy to establish democracy, to ensure people's rights. But even during the tenure of this government, the ghost of Awami League's autocratic past within BIWTA has oppressed innocent people in Ghorashal area. This is even more shameful than the acts of autocracy." Over the past 15 years, BIWTA has engaged in corruption by extracting sand worth thousands crores of taka from the country's wetlands and rivers. Those discovering 'Ziaism' have bad intentions: Amir Khosru “BIWTA wants to enforce the law on the poor in Palash and Ghorashal areas. What law is this? Exploiting the poor cannot be the rule of law of any democratic country,” said the BNP leader. Claiming that BIWTA's corruption has been exposed, Moyeen said “Bangladesh has achieved its second independence. Corruption and injustice will no longer prevail here.” Issuing a warning, the BNP leader said the allies of the fallen Awami autocracy are carrying out conspiring to discredit the interim government. He also alleged that the "ghosts" of a fallen regime, within the government, have inflicted oppression on the impoverished residents of Ghorashal in Palash. He said the corrupt officials of the BIWTA have misappropriated thousands of crores of money through sand-related corruption over the past 15 years. "Now, they come under the guise of law. What law is this? Is there any law in the world that permits exploiting the poor? These innocent people were unlawfully evicted simply because they couldn’t pay bribes.” Rizvi compares call for reforms before elections to AL putting development before democracy Dr. Moyeen Khan warned that such actions would deepen the crisis for the current government. He also urged the authorities concerned to provide compensation to the affected people soon.

At least 10 people including women and children were injured as a Dhaka-bound launch from Bhola, the Karnafuli-3, caught fire in the middle of the Meghna river in Majherchar area in Chandpur's Haimchar on Saturday (April 20, 2024). Md Shahadat Hossain, deputy director of Chandpur BIWTA, said the fire broke out around 11:30am due to a technical glitch. At the time, 10 people were injured in the launch fire incident as they panicked and jumped into the river, he added. The stranded passengers of Karnaphuli-3 were being taken to Dhaka through Karnaphuli-4 launch. Read more: Banani slum fire under control On information, our investigation team along with the fire service rushed to the spot and brought the fire under control, he added. However, the reason behind the fire could not be known immediately. The injured were treated locally. Meanwhile, senior police officers of Naval Police Chandpur region visited the spot soon after the incident, added the officer. Read more: TK Group’s super board manufacturing factory catches fire in Munshiganj

Launch services beteween Barishal and other parts of Bangladesh resumed on Saturday (November 18, 2023) morning after 24 hours of suspension due to the cyclonic storm Midhili. Abdur Razzaque, river port official of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA), said the operation of launches resumed at 7 am after the affect of cyclone Midhili ended. Barishal Engineering College students say BCL activists beat them up for not attending ‘political programme’ Earlier, BIWTA suspended operations of all types of river vessels from 10:00 am on Friday due to inclement weather caused by the cyclone. Meanwhile, the roads in different parts of Barishal city have been inundated due to the rainfall triggered by the cyclonic. JCD leader, another arrested in Barishal for ‘planning sabotage’ The residents of Battala, Srinath Chatarjee Lane and Bogura Road have been trapped in 2-feet of water since the cyclone hit the country’s coastal areas. Khokon Serniabat takes charge as Barishal mayor

Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) has organised a boat race on the Turag river, on the occasion of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's birthday. Dhaka’s air quality ‘unhealthy’, 5th worst in the world this morning The boat race will be held tomorrow (September 28), at the end point of the main road in Mohammadpur's Dhaka Udyan, on the Turag river, at 3:30 pm, said Senior Information Officer of Shipping Ministry, Jahangir Alam Khan. US visa restrictions won’t impact garment exports: BGMEA State Minister for Shipping, Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury, will be present as the chief guest, while Haji Mohammad Salim will be present as a special guest along with others. BIWTA Chairman Commodore Arif Ahmed Mostafa will preside over the event. Govt refixes commission rates on sales of petroleum fuels Twelve teams named after rivers -- Buriganga, Shitalakhya, Turag, Dhaleshwari, Ichhamoti, Karnaphuli, Surma, Kirtankhola, Arial Kha, Dakatia, Bongshi and Balu -- will participate in different segments of the boat race.

Although there are 41 recognised river routes between Dhaka and the south coast, at present there are commercial launches operating from Sadarghat terminal of Dhaka river port on just 25 routes.    Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) sources said that launches are not plying the remaining river channels due to the shortage of passengers. However, launch owners say that 15 waterways have apparently been abandoned due to poor navigability. They said, this crisis has been created due to lack of sufficient dredging.    They claim that even on the 25 waterways that are operational, launches ply on just 19 of those. Launch movement on the remaining 6 routes is irregular.  Also Read: CSOs demand investigations into irregularities in dredger pilotage, repair Rights activists complain that there is no transparency and accountability in excavation and dredging works. Due to this, there are irregularities and corruption in this important work.  Launch owners also have the same complaint that waterways are not being dredged properly due to lack of transparency and accountability. Badiuzzaman Badal, Senior Vice President of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport (Passenger carrier) Association, an organisation of launch owners, said, “We are a major stakeholder in the shipping sector. But we are not involved in river dredging. Our opinion is not taken on which route has more or less navigability crisis." Referring to the lack of minimum transparency and accountability in dredging, Badiuzzaman Badal said, “BIWTA is doing the job as per their wish leading to widespread irregularities and corruption. As a result, general people, including water transport owners, are not getting the benefits. As the launch cannot proceed in many waterways due to the navigability crisis, in order to reach many destinations, one has to travel much more than the prescribed distance, wasting extra time. On the one hand, the fuel cost of the owners increases, on the other hand, the passengers do not want to board the launch because of the extra time wasted.”  Also Read: NCPSRR wants transparency in river dredging, silt removal Badiuzzaman Badal said these in a press conference at the organisation's office at Sadarghat Terminal on April 8.  Aminur Rasul Babul, member secretary of Safe Waterway Implementation Movement, said that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina herself is sincere in the development of inland shipping communication. The government is also giving adequate allocation in this sector. But due to the irregularities and corruption of BIWTA's dredging department, the desired success in rescuing the defunct waterways has not come even after 14 years.  Mihir Biswas, joint secretary of Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA), said that BIWTA's responsibility is to maintain the navigability of waterways through regular dredging under its revenue fund.   “The river dredging, including rescue of lost waterways and the expensive works of silt removal, are under its development fund. The organisation has been doing these two tasks for more than a century. For this, thousands of crores of public funds have been spent, but the expected success is not visible,” Mihir Biswas commented, also blaming irregularities, corruption and lack of accountability and transparency as responsible for this.  Read More: River Police taking measures to ensure safety on waterways during Eid

Operators on Friday abruptly suspended movement of four launches on Barishal-Dhaka route, saying that the shortage of passengers has prompted them to take the decision a day before the BNP’s rally in the capital. The BNP and associate bodies, however, claimed that the suspension order came to spoil their scheduled rally like the previous transport strikes in divisional cities. Md Kabir, inspector of inland security and traffic management of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) in Barishal, confirmed the matter of suspension on Friday evening. Read more: Barguna transport owners launch 2-day strike He said only a launch ‘Parabat-11’ will leave for Dhaka from Barishal on Friday. The suspension order of running four launches was taken considering the shortage of passengers. The movement of launches--Prince Awalad, Parabat-18, Surovi-7 and Sundarban-11--was suspended, he said. Only launches ‘Shuvoraj and Farhan-7’carrying passengers will leave Dhaka for Barishal and Jhalkati on Friday, he said. Besides, no launch will leave for Dhaka from Jhalkati on Friday. Md Sumon, a staff of the ‘Parabat-11’, said most people are not going to Dhaka fearing violence ahead of the BNP rally. UNB’s Barishal correspondent also found a thin presence of passengers in the launch compared to any other day. Read more: Launch operation resumes on Barishal-Dhaka route as BNP rally ends Maniruzzaman, convener of Barishal city unit BNP, alleged that the government has taken several tactics to foil their Dhaka rally and for that reason the decision to suspend operations of launches was taken. ‘’However, we have already arrived in Dhaka to join the rally’’, he said.