A total of 20,376 small vessels are plying river routes in six southern districts, according to Shipping Ministry.
The ministry collected the data in between July 2012 and June 2014 in 40 upazilas of the six districts under a pilot project to prepare a database of small vessels.
Of the vessels, 6127 ply in Bhola, 4728 in Barisal, 4628 in Patuakhali, 3414 in Shariatpur, 957 in Madaripur and 522 in Gopalganj.
Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan on Monday revealed the data at the project’s concluding function held at the conference room of his ministry.
The project was taken involving Tk 2.80 crore to prepare a database of small vessels plying river routes, prepare a set of acceptable recommendation for bringing the vessels under regulation, and arrange training programmes for operators, drivers or workers.
Shipping secretary Syed Manzurul Islam, Director General of Shipping Department Commodore M Zakiur Rahman Bhuiyan and Project Director Bholanath Dey, among others, spoke at the function.
Source: UNB Connect
