Energy Bangla

Defying the recommendations of the UN experts and environmentalists, the government yesterday decided to allow vessels to ply through the Shela river in the Sundarbans from wednesday, apparently in the face of pressure from river transport workers.
The decision came from an inter-ministerial meeting at the shipping ministry tuesday with Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan in the chair.
The meeting said vessels can ply the Shela river route in a “controlled way” during the daytime only until the completion of dredging work on the Mongla-Ghashiakhali channel. No vessel can run through the route at night as well as during foggy and bad weather.
Besides, oil tanker and coastal ships will be barred from using the route.
The meeting also decided to complete dredging of Mongla-Ghasiakhali channel by next June to restore its navigability.
Asked if the government would be able to complete the dredging by next June as only seven percent of work had been completed so far, Shafique Alam Mehdi, secretary of shipping ministry, said they hope the dredging work will be completed by June.
Regarding the recommendations of the UN-Bangladesh joint team of experts that suggested avoiding shipping through the Sundarbans, the secretary said he did not get a copy of the UN report, and asked to talk to the shipping minister regarding the matter.