Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) has started dredging in Padma river near Rajshahi city aims at bringing back its navigability.

“We will carry out the dredging works till next mid-June,” said Golam Sarwar, Superintending Engineer of Dredger Operation Circle under Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) in Rajshahi on Sunday (Mar 24).

BWDB Superintending Engineer Aminul Haque Bhiyan said the dredging activities are being implemented with an estimated cost of Tk 570 million.

A six-kilometer area will be brought under dredging in the preliminary stage. More than 2.6 million square-meter soils from Sonaikandi to Pathanparea areas will be removed.

Rajshahi City Mayor AHM Khairuzzaman Liton told the media in Rajshahi on Sunday that there is a plan of installing an international river port in Rajshahi for enhancing trade with India on river route.

He said Bangladesh and India will jointly implement the venture and necessary discussion was held between the two countries. An Indian delegation will come to Rajshahi soon to visit the area physically.

The city mayor added that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has taken the initiative of installing international river port in Rajshahi. The dredging activities were started to this end. Through the capital dredging, navigability is expected to remain for eight to ten months.

Md Muniruzzaman Moni, President of Rajshahi Chamber of Commerce and Industries, expected that on successful implementation of the river port installation works, transportation of various industrial raw materials from India to Rajshahi directly will be easier.

He mentioned that this venture will help flourishing trade and industrial sector here and will support the employment generation process.