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Waterbus service from August

Staff Correspondent
Waterbus service will be launched in August to carry passengers through the rivers surrounding the capital to ease horrific traffic congestion in the city. Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan told parliament yesterday.
Participating in the discussion on the proposed budget for next fiscal year, he said the government has taken various measures to restore the tradition of carrying passengers and goods through riverways.
The minister however did not elaborate on the waterbus service.
He mentioned the much lower cost of carrying goods through waterways compared to railways and roads, and said, “Therefore we are working to improve waterway communications.” The country had 24,000 km waterways in the past, but it has reduced to only 6,000 km due to negligence of the past governments, Shajahan said.
Steps have been taken to procure 50 dredgers to carry out massive dredging of rivers to bring back navigability of those, he said. Six of those have already reached the country and six more will reach soon. And work order has been given for purchase of three more dredgers, he added.
On Mongla port, the shipping minister said the government has already taken up a Tk 21,000 crore plan to develop the port.
Under the mega plan, cable cars will be introduced to carry tourists from Mongla to the Sundarbans.
The port appeared almost abandoned due to negligence of past governments but it is making profits since September last year, the minister said.
Participating in the discussion, a number of ruling Awami League lawmakers lauded the proposed budget, and blasted the opposition BNP for boycotting the House and calling hartal on June 27.
Earlier, AL lawmaker Suranjit Sengupta drew the speaker's attention to the absence of finance minister during the budget discussion.
He said the finance minister or state minister for finance or planning minister or finance secretary or NBR chief should be present during such discussion so that they can take note of the suggestions from lawmakers.
In response, Speaker Abdul Hamid said it is not a good practice that nobody takes note of what the lawmakers point out in the budget discussion.
“I hope, the deputy leader of the House will take necessary measures to this effect," he said.
Prime Minister and Leader of the House Sheikh Hasina was not present at that time.
In the evening, the speaker expressed his annoyance at the use of mobile phone by lawmakers inside the House. He reacted sharply as a phone was ringing while a lawmaker was
speaking on the proposed budget.
“I requested all of you earlier not to use mobile phone in the House. This should not be repeated again,” Hamid said.