Readers’ Forum

Safety of passengers on waterways
The waterways are very important means of communication in Bangladesh. Traditionally, the river network has been regarded as safe and cost-effective route especially in the country’s southern part. For riverine transportation, we have to use mainly boats, lunches and steamers. But the waterways transportation is ridden with tragic disasters every year, incurring a heavy toll of human lives.
There is no way to ignore that, using the waterways benefits trade as it is less expensive than other modes of transportations. Moreover, the scope of connectivity through these waterways becomes more important in the age of globalisation. In that case, the mobility and access to the facilities depend on the sound infrastructure of inland waterways.
So far I know, approximately 7 lakh river vessels are transporting goods as well as passengers in the country while 5 crore passengers are carried through this waterways network annually. I like to draw the attention of Shipping Ministry and other authorities concerned to modernize the river communication with ensuring safety to the passengers.

Fahim Abdullah
Barishal