Inner bar dredging stopped at Mongla port: Naval channel under threat
Dredging activities in the naval channel of Bagerhat's Mongla port have been stopped for almost two years due to complications over sand storage space. This complication has arisen due to lack of new space.
On the other hand, if the port's naval channel is not dredged regularly, the traders who use the port fear that the entry of large domestic and foreign ships will be hindered.
The port authority also admits this. They say that it will take time to find a new place to keep dredging sand or silt, but for the time being, the crisis will be solved by dumping the soil in the old place. They are looking at the matter very seriously.
Meanwhile, even though a policy decision has been taken to dump sand in the Joyomoni area of the old site of Mongla, there are doubts about it. In this situation, the cost of the dredging project has increased by about Tk. 200 crores. Apart from this, due to the navigability crisis, ships with a depth of 9 meters cannot come to the port jetty.
According to Mongla port authority sources, the area from Harbaria area of Pasur river (Navy Channel) of Mongla Port to Port Jetty is called 'Inner Bar'. Capital dredging in an area of 23.4 kilometers of Inner Bar was initiated on March 13, 2021. The dredging operation started on April 10 of that year. At that time, the cost of the project was estimated at Tk. 793 crores.
700 acres of land in Mongla upazila and 300 acres of land in Banishanta area of Dakop upazila of Khulna were acquired for dumping dredged sand or silt soil. Sand was dumped on the land of Joymoni area of Buridanga Union of Mongla Upazila of Bagerhat.
But on the western side of Pasur river, local residents and various environmentalist organizations protested to prevent the dumping of sand on three crop fields in Banishanta of Khulna's Dakope upazila. In the face of their objection, the port authority decided to stop dumping sand and silt there. Since then dredging has been stopped for almost two years.
In this situation, a preliminary decision has been taken to dump sand on 262 acres of land in Shanbandha Mauza of Burirdanga Union of Mongla Upazila of Bagerhat. A proposal in this regard was sent to the Bagerhat Deputy Commissioner's office and from there it was sent to the Ministry of Lands. Meanwhile, the project was due to expire in June 2022. 34 percent of the work has been completed so far.
Due to not being able to complete the work on time, the project cost has increased to Tk. 992 crores, which was approved in the Ecnec meeting on April 4 last year.
In this regard, Chief Engineer (Civil and Hydraulics) of Mongla Port Authority, Sheikh Shaukat Ali said, 'The depth of the inner bar is five and a half to six meters. It is supposed to be eight and a half meters by dredging. About 70 percent of the sediment removed from the dredging sites has re-deposited in the last two years. In this situation, the duration of the dredging project has been extended till June 2024.
He also said that since the dredging work has stopped, the silt has increased so far. Apart from this, due to the increase in the price of dredger oil and other items, the project cost has increased.
He said that due to the shortage of places for sanding, the old place will be sanded for the time being in Jayamoni area. He also said that this program will start within the next week.
The chairman of Bangladesh Shipping Agent Association Captain Mohammad Rafiqul Islam said, "The biggest problem of Mongla port is the navigability crisis. There is no alternative to regular dredging to keep the port operational. If dredging is permanently stopped, large container ships will not be able to come. Besides, the arrival of large ships carrying coal for Rampal power plant will also be stopped. A big mega project with a railway line around the port will not be of any use.
He also said, 'Railway goods come in container ships. If the dredging operation is stopped, the container ships will not be able to come. Therefore, it is necessary to quickly complete capital dredging in the inner bar.