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BIWTA, R&H experts recommend

Demand for shifting of Nagorebari ferry ghat

From Our Correspondent
PABNA. Oct 12: The ferry ghat from Nagorebari to Natibpur requires shifting for the greater interest of maintaining regularity of ferry-services and also of road transport services between the eastern .and northern, parts • of Bangladesh.
The experts, both from the Roads and Highways Department and Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) said shifting of the ferry ghat from Nagorebari to Natibpur. six miles downstream would benefit in many ways. The fact, that Nagorebari ghat was experiencing heavy siltation every year and hence heavy and regular dredging was needed with an abnormally high expenditure. Moreover, due to heavy erosion in the river Jamuna every year, shifting of pontoons of the ferry ghat of Nagorebari .became a regular affair. Lastly, because of the distance between the Nagorebari and Arieha is too much which makes ferry services between the said two ghats more costly and more time consuming.
In view of the above reasons repeated demands were made during the late-seventies to remove the ferry ghat from Nagorebari to a more conve pient place. The ■Government then conducted surveys
through separate teams of experts. one appointed by the Inland Water Transport Authority and the other by the Roads and Highways Department — and both these teams, after conducting surveys on two or three occasions separately, recommended for abandoning the Nagorebari ghat and be shifted to Natibpur.
According to findings by the experts. Nagorebari ferry ghat was being badly eroded every year and siltation of the river Jamuna was also acute at Nagorebari and as such, round the year, pontoons need shifting 8 to 10 times a year and this causes serious inconveniences. During the lean period water-level of Jamuna falls very low at Nagorebari ghat. Minimum water-level required for running the ferries cannot be maintained without frequent and heavy dredging. Hence, the entire process is extremely costly and also very , much time-consuming.-
The Natibpur ghat, according to findings said water-level throughout the year remained maximum while thefre' was no reports of erosion at all and hence, according to the experts. shifting of the ferry ghat from Nagorebari to Natibpur was technically and economically more viable.
Moreover, they observed that distance between Arieha and Nagorebari ghat was ten miles while it was only three and a half miles distance between Arieha and Natibpur and thus, ferries would be able to cross.the river within half an hour as against two or more hours in case of Arieha io Nagarbarl. Thus, shifting of ferry ghat would naturally reduce fuel consumption of ferries and could also reduce the fares changed by the ferries
The then government of late President Ziaur Rahman accepted the recommendation and started construction of alternative ferry ghat at Natibpur. Road-link between Kashinathpur and Natibpur was also constructed but following the sudden killing of President Ziaur Rahman, the implementation of the scheme was suspended.
During Ershad regime, no headway could be made although the necessity of shifting was not denied nor the work of the scheme in papers was ever withdrawn.
Meanwhile, the condition of Nagorebari ferry ghat has aggravated further.
All sections of people of Northern districts using this route demand that the abandoned scheme be revived soon and its implementation be taken up. ’