State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury said that the deputy commissioners have been directed to take action to protect the navigability of the river, prevent pollution and encroachment.
He told reporters after a third day session of the Deputy Commissioners’ Conference at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium on Thursday (January 20) morning.
The state minister said the deputy commissioners have an important role to play in ensuring navigability in the rivers and protecting them from river pollution and encroachment. Because the chairman of the district committee that protects our river is the deputy commissioner. They are already playing many roles and have been asked to strengthen these.
“Illegal sand extraction destroys the navigability of the river and disrupts our waterways,” he said. Deputy Commissioners have been asked to monitor these properly.
The DCs have also been instructed to intensify surveillance against unethical activities in land ports, said Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury.
He said that the district administration is keeping a close watch on the land ports which are there, as goods are being imported and exported, so that no immoral activities take place there. We have said to strengthen it even after that.
The state minister said that overall, the steps taken by us, through various agencies of the ministry, have been presented to them.
Asked if there was any proposal from the deputy commissioners, the state minister said the coastal people, such as Hatia and Bhola, should be further developed and made passenger-friendly. We have already taken up the project regarding them.
Responding to a question from reporters, he said the number of boat accidents has not increased in recent times, but a few major ones have occurred. The number of accidents has decreased.
He said that there has been a stalemate and irregularity in the naval sector for a long time. This is such a big sector, change is not possible at once. Our goal is to make this sector safer.
