|
Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) set up in 1958 for development, maintenance and control of inland water transport and of certain inland navigable waterways. Bangladesh is covered by a network of about 24,000 km of rivers, canals, creeks and haors. At present, (2000) the navigable river routes in Bangladesh during the monsoon stretch about 6,000 km, although this is reduced to about 3,800 km in the dry season. According to a government study carried out in 1994, 13% passengers and 32% of freight on inland waters were carried annually by mechanised water transport. About 0.89 million country boats carry about 1.2 million tons of freight annually. At present, 72 million passengers travel by inland waterways every year. According to official records, the use of mechanised vessels on waterways began in East Bengal on 6 February 1844. BIWTA is the successor of the East Pakistan Inland Water Transport Authority (EPIWTA). At the initial stage, it consisted of the departments of traffic, conservancy and pilotage, waterways and port engineering, accounts and secretarial work. EPIWTA started its operations with only 37 officers in 1958. Later, following the establishment of 5 new riverports, a planning department was created in 1963, and the port directorate in 1964. A dredging unit was established in 1991. The number of BIWTA officers now stands at 555. They work with the help of 3,743 supporting staff in 11 departments and a dredging unit, a workshop, and a training centre. BIWTA is headed by a chairman. He is assisted by two members, who directly control different departments, each headed by a director. Functions of BIWTA are broadly classified under two heads - development and maintenance, and regulatory functions. Functions of the first group include river conservancy work, dissemination of navigational and meteorological information, pilotage and hydrographic services, planning dredging activities, including development of new channels, development, maintenance and operation of inland river ports and terminal facilities, development of rural water transportation, research on craft design, technique of towage, landing and terminal facilities and port installations, liaison with the government and promotion of IWT industry in general. The regulatory functions of BIWTA are to fix maximum and minimum fares and freight rates for inland water transport and to approve time tables for 739 passenger launches that operate in 200 routes. BIWTA maintains and supervises 11 riverports and 219 launch terminals. The riverports are at Dhaka, Narayanganj, Chandpur, Barisal, Khulna, Patuakhali, Baghabari, Narsingdi, Aricha, Nagarbari and Daulatdia. The ferry ghats (terminals) under management of BIWTA are at Aricha, Nagarbari, Daulatdia, Mawa, Charjanajat, Bhuapur and Sirajganj. BIWTA has 417 barges, pontoons and flats and 86 vessels including 8 dredgers, 4 coastal survey ships, 10 launches and 19 workboats for survey and inspection, 6 tug ships, 2 salvage units, 1 training ship and 3 house boats. BIWTA conducts hydrographic surveys in 3,000 km of inland waterways and 1,000 sq. km. of coastal area every year. The volume of its annual dredging is about 2.5 million cubic metre.
BIWTA has implemented 110 development schemes since 1958
for increasing and improving essential facilities of river ports and launch
stations, ferry ghats, hydrographic surveys, river dredging and pilotage
services. Its Deck Personnel Training Centre is the only marine institute
in Bangladesh. It was set up at Narayanganj in 1971 for the inland water
transport sector. [Mahbubul Alam] |
