Selim Reza, Sirajganj :
It seems unbelievable, but truth that, a driver of the Bangladesh Water Development Board’s Sirajganj district office has now turned into an engineer for its hydrographic section.
The lucky person’s name is Abdur Rashid, who joined in the WDB as a driver. Now he is serving as assistant hydrographic surveyor at the WDB’s district office based on a contract.
Rashid said, “I have learnt the hydrographic survey works, while working in Hyundai Company. Now, I have become a master of the hydrographic survey related works. Not only that, I have gathered a three months training certificate from an institute.”
But, he declined to say the name of that institution, which has provided the certificate.
When asked about him, Mokhlesur Rahman, Executive Engineer of the WDB said, “We have no adequate fund in this purpose. Besides, we have no permission to recruit such as staff or employee to conduct hydrographic survey in the river. So, we carry the work by our driver on a contractual basis.”
When he was asked again about the acceptability and standard of the hydrographic survey report produced by the former driver, he said, “We send it to our relevant senior officers to verify and then they produce a final report on it. But, I personally have no idea about its standard as I have no expertness on it.”
Hydrographic surveys are important for rivers as they map the underwater terrain to ensure safe navigation for boats, support planning for construction projects like bridges and harbors, enable effective management of dredging and siltation, aid in flood control efforts, and support environmental monitoring and fisheries management by providing detailed bathymetric data.
The data collected creates charts and 3D models crucial for safety, economic activity, and scientific understanding of river systems.
Surveys map water depths, identify submerged obstructions like rocks, and chart river channels to prevent accidents and ensure smooth passage for vessels.
Accurate depth and seabed data are vital for the design and construction of bridges, docks, and other river-based infrastructure.
Hydrographic data helps in understanding river flow and bed characteristics, which is essential for effective flood control measures.
Surveys monitor riverbed changes and are crucial for planning and executing dredging operations to maintain navigable depths.
