River police force soon: Minister

Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan said that work was on to raise a River Police force soon. The prime minister will officially inaugurate its launching. The shipping minister said that initially the force would start with 730 personnel.
The River Police was being organized to provide safety to passengers and vessels plying the rivers and they will work in tandem with the Coast Guard, he said.
The Shipping Minister made this announcement at a press briefing on Sunday afternoon at the Home Ministry following an inter-ministerial meeting on safety of passengers and vessels traveling in the rivers.
Earlier, State Minister for Home Asaduzzaman Khan and other high officials attended the inter-ministerial meeting.
The meeting discussed at length different problems on the rivers including safety, extortion and robbery.
The minister said a number of robbery hot spots were identified, which included Sunamganj to Ashuganj and Baider Bazar, Shatnol, Moktarpur, Gazaria, Meghnaghat and Basila. A committee has been formed to cope with the situation. He also said inexperienced drivers and masters would be trained. In this context, he said, Bangabandhu had established a training institute for them but successive governments had not taken any care of it. In 1996 it was restarted again.
Shajahan Khan said a ban had been imposed on the movement of sand carrying and cargo vessels. This will reduce accidents, he hoped.