Shipping Adviser Brigadier General (retd) M Sakhawat Hossain said on Tuesday that the construction of the Padma Bridge with large pillars is causing harm to the Padma River.
He suggested that a hanging bridge or an underground tunnel would have been more suitable alternatives instead of the current pillar-based structure.
Sakhawat made these remarks at an event titled “Shipping and Navigability: Challenges and the Way Forward,” held in the capital on Tuesday afternoon.
The event was organized by Bangladesh Cutter Suction Dredger and several other organizations.
“I have repeatedly stated before the construction of the Padma Bridge that it should have been a hanging bridge or a tunnel. Now, siltation is increasing around every pillar of the bridge. We are killing the Padma; dredging alone cannot save the river,” said Sakhawat.
As one of the advisers of the interim government, Sakhawat criticized the previous administration's approach, saying: “We have undertaken too many unplanned projects. However, since assuming my role at the ministry, I have been working every day to improve the situation.”
He called on all stakeholders to act responsibly for sustainable development that would benefit the country's poorer population. “My priority is sustainable development for rural communities, not metro rail or super highways,” he added.
Environment Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan, who attended the event as a special guest, described rivers as living entities and urged everyone to take responsibility for preserving the country's riverine ecosystem.
“We must save our rivers to save our country. People have an emotional connection to rivers, which is why river movements are popular across the districts. However, people from all walks of life, regardless of religion, are often careless about river conservation,” she said.
Rizwana further emphasized that “injustice to a river is akin to injustice to life” and urged the Shipping Adviser to collaborate with the Ministry of Water Resources and the Ministry of Environment to develop a joint framework for river and environmental conservation.
Bashir Ahmed, President of the Bangladesh Cutter Sector Dredger Owners Association, called on the government to allocate dredging projects to genuine dredger owners.
He alleged that in the past, some political administrations awarded contracts to businessmen who had no involvement in the dredging industry and instead rented equipment from actual dredger owners after securing government work orders.
Other stakeholders in the sector also addressed the event. The Secretaries of the Ministry of Shipping and the Ministry of Water Resources, along with the Chairman of BIWTA, were present at the discussion.