Poor navigability makes Mawa route risky

The Mawa-Magurkhanda-Nauduba Channel, an important river channel on Mawa-Kawrakandi route in the southwestern region, may be closed anytime as the waterway has lost its navigability due to continuous deposit of silt. Yet all kinds of vessels, including ferries, are cruising through the 16km long channel with a great risk. Ferry and launch drivers, officers and others concerned have been worried over the possibility of the channel becoming closied any moment during Ramadan.

Only six feet water now flows instead of normal nine feet at three spots of the channel, including Magurkhanda crossing. As a result, vessels, including launches, are sailing with a high risk of uncertainly as their bottom get stuck in the channel.

The ferries and launches are being stuck in the hidden chars for hours together, even in this season when the deepwater is found in the channel, sources said. The Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) has installed beacon lights and signal lights at 31km long Jajira-Palerchar-Louhajang channel to use it in ther alternative route if the present waterway is shutdown.

If the present channel is closed, the Jajira-Palerchar-Louhajang channel would take about two hours time more to take a detour. It would increase the sufferings of the homebound people of southwestern region on the eve of the Eid and Puja. The officials fear that the route might turn into a non-profit route as the government would have to count huge loss on fuel.

Idris Hossain Siraji, Master in charge of Ferry Shah Moqsud said that the Ro-Ro ferry Shah Moqsud carrying 25 vehicles remained stuck for 16 hours with a hidden char last week. The water level in the river is rising every day due to the flood, which is keeping the cross channel functional, he said.

BIWTA Manager Shahnewaz Chowdhury said, if the channel is closed anytime, the sufferings of the homebound passengers of southwestern region would mount. After the present Awami League-led government came to power, it reopened the channel by dredging it at a cost of Tk 4.86 crore in February.

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