Bangladesh is a land of rivers. The country is crisscrossed by more than three hundred rivers. River communication was the main communication in the past. Still river is preferred for low cost; moreover it is relatively eco-friendly.
River communication takes time but its maintenance cost is much less than the highways.
But today’s situation of Bangladeshi rivers is a story of sorrow. Neighboring country India is constructing dams one after another in the upstream. Accumulated sediment is decreasing navigability. Many water routes are abandoned due to lack of navigability. Climate change is another new threat; rain fall and water flow is decreasing due to that.
The government has taken a mega project to dredge main rivers of Bangladesh. The Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina sought Dutch assistance when Dutch development minister visited her at her office. Bangladesh wants assistance for river dredging, land reclamation and construction of embankments. Every year erosion and flood causes huge economic loss for the nation.
