Govt eyes to flourish river tourism: Khalid Mahmud
State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury on Saturday said the government is working to recover the waterways to flourish river tourism.
“The federal government of Sheikh Hasina has taken several steps to rescue the rivers and waterways from against the law grabbers and ensuring their navigability so that persons can enjoy smooth and less costly waterways. We are working to recuperate the waterways to flourish river tourism," he said while addressing at a seminar at Jatiya Press Club.
Shipping and Communication Reporters’ Forum (SCRF) organised the seminar titled "Span of actions had a need to flourish tourism and protect river and waterways."
The country had not been ruled properly after Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and before Sheikh Hasina’s tenure, said Khalid Mahmud.
“Rulers out of Awami League party were busy in killing, looting, creating anarchy in the united states. There was no person to look into the rivers and waterways. Because of negligence of the authorities, the country’s rivers have lost their flow and navigability,” said the state minister added..
SCRF president Ashish Kumar Dey chaired the event while Bangaldesh Inland Water Transport Authority Chairman Golam Sadeq, former Director General of River Research Institute (RRI) Lutfor Rahman, river researcher Aminur Rasul Babul, SCRF vice president Amaresh Roy, member Rafiqul Islam Sabuj and BIWTA Employees Union president Abul Hossain also spoke.
Moderated by its general secretary Mohosinul Karim, former SCRF president Anisur Rahman Khan presented keynote paper in the programme.
Khalid Mahmud said,"The united states may fall in risk unless the rivers could be managed properly. Taking into consideration the issue, the ruling AL had incorporated the problem of river dredging in its election pledges. The government has recently taken initiatives to dredge around 10,000km waterways. To conduct the huge dredging work round the year it has made a decision to buy necessary dredgers."
BIWTA Chairman Golam Sadeq emphasized on ensuring coordination between the authorities relevant with managing waterways and tourism to take its advantages to the doorsteps of individuals.
Former RRI DG Lutfar Rahman proposed to create an activity force comprising the representatives of local administration, public representatives and social activists to save lots of the rivers and waterways.
Aminur Rasul Babul urged the federal government to frame separate laws to protect the rivers from against the law grabbers, and conduct census on rivers soon.
