No bridge can be constructed without the approval of BIWT: Minister of State for Shipping

State Minister for Shipping Khaled Mahmud said that no bridge can be constructed without the approval of BIWTA. He also directed DCs to play an effective role in this regard.

He said this while talking to reporters after the second session of the Deputy Commissioner (DC) conference held at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium on Thursday (January 26) at 12 noon.

The Minister of State said,

• Various types of vessels ply our rivers. In this case, the bridges should be built keeping in mind which river the ship will be moving. It is cleared by BIWTA. In this case, I have asked the District Commissioners to supervise that no one from Roads, LGED, Bridge Department can construct any bridge without their approval.

Also Read: Opium cultivation grows in Myanmar under military rule: UN

The state minister said, in today's conference, we have given another instruction to the district administrators. Pramodtari Ganga Vilas departs from India on January 13. From India through Bangladesh will go back to India. We will welcome you to Mangala on February 4th. I have asked to welcome the District Administrators.

When asked whether there would be any harm to the environment if Pramodatri came to the river in Bangladesh, he said, environmentalists always oppose good works. They also opposed the construction of Rampal power station. It is this cycle that opposes the deepening we are creating in Mongla, which will allow vessels of 9.5m draft to enter our port. Their point is that we must go back to primitive times. This cycle never talks about the development of the country.

Rooppur

• When asked about the arrival of a Russian ship to import power plant goods, which is again blocked by the American ban, Khaled Mahmud said, "We do not have any information about the latest whereabouts of the ship." Since there is a ban on them, we have done what we have to do. Now how Russia will send the ship, how the goods will be brought by their agents, is their business.

He also said that DCs always have good communication with us. In today's conference they talked about the problem of transportation in coastal areas, we took them into consideration.

It should be noted that on January 24, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the three-day annual conference of District Administrators (DC).