Like a host of government projects -- some quite well designed but left utterly neglected, a big river dredging project taken up some seven years ago is languishing in a state of inertia. Dredging, considered to be the only solution to bring navigability of water bodies, especially of the river routes, has for long been termed a happy hunting ground for those involved in the under-water activity only to the misery of millions. Surprisingly, the government undertook a dredging project at a cost of more than Tk 13.0 billion in 2010. The project deadline was extended a number of times, and yet the shock that can baffle anyone eager to see its outcome is that the relevant agency entrusted to do the job has not yet been able to procure the required equipment and tools. No wonder, the project has overrun time by five years.
That the project did not receive the attention it demanded is clear enough from the fact that during these seven years, as many as eight project directors were appointed. The executing agency, Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB), has, so far procured less than half of the equipment, although, reportedly, the required amount of fund was made available by the government well in time. The project was prompted by a report of the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) depicting the drastic shrinkage of the country's waterways network for lack of dredging. The BIWTA's concern was poor navigability and increasing silt deposits in the riverbeds which could only be addressed by large-scale dredging with advanced technology. The project inputs required among other things procurement of more than 20 heavy-duty dredgers, tug boats along with complementary equipment and tools. Dredging, in terms of both capital and maintenance, has undergone dynamic improvements all over the world with the introduction of sophisticated technology such as high-tech trailing suction hopper dredgers and the mighty cutter suction dredgers. While the BWDB officials blame time-consuming tendering and lack of response from competent bidders for halting project activities, it is hardly logical to see the project monitoring or steering body sitting idle on it for so long.
By all means, this was a priority project. As silt deposit is a perennial problem for the country's river routes often causing serious difficulties including accidents to cargo and passenger-carrying vessels, it was natural that the authorities would put in their best to execute it on an urgent basis. That did not happen, and chances that it would in the near future appear slim given the prevailing circumstances.
Bangladesh, according to a report published in a local daily, is only able to dredge one-sixth of the deposits from the river routes annually, and with the project in limbo, the situation is going to be far too challenging for remediation. Under the circumstances, it now all depends on the government how it plans to go about the project. There is a definite need to look into the activities of the executing authority and if necessary, bring those responsible for the inordinate stalemate, to book.