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Dhaka Chamber of Commerce & Industry (DCCI) on Monday urged the government to prioritise the development of inland waterway infrastructure to reduce the cost of doing business, calling for planned dredging, riverbank recovery and private sector involvement under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) framework.
DCCI President Taskeen Ahmed made the call during a meeting with Water Resources Minister Md Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anee at the Secretariat.
Taskeen Ahmed said as a riverine nation, Bangladesh's inland waterways have historically been the most cost-effective means of transporting industrial raw materials and finished goods, yet their full potential remains underutilised due to siltation and illegal river encroachment.
“We need to prioritise riverbank recovery, planned dredging and necessary infrastructural development so that the business community can benefit from cost-effective and efficient trade logistics,” he said.
The DCCI President expressed optimism about the government's plan to excavate 20,000 kilometres of canals over the next five years, saying the initiative will significantly boost inland water transport, ease business costs and simultaneously improve irrigation, agricultural productivity and overall economic growth.
He also highlighted the strategic value of an approximately 112-kilometre circular waterway connecting the Buriganga, Turag, Balu, Shitalakkhya and Dhaleshwari rivers around the capital, describing it as a viable alternative transport corridor that could help ease Dhaka's chronic traffic congestion.
Responding positively, Minister Anee reaffirmed the government's commitment to sustainable development of inland waterways and said several initiatives have already been set in motion.
He called on the private sector to actively participate in the nationwide canal excavation programme, noting that its successful completion will foster environment-friendly transport networks and stimulate local economic activity across the country.
DCCI Senior Vice President Razeev H Chowdhury, Vice President Md Salem Sulaiman and acting Secretary General Dr AKM Asaudzzaman Patwary were also present at the meeting.
