The Bangladeshi Government’s Cabinet Committee on Public Purchase has approved a proposal to award a contract for the Jamuna River dredging project, aimed to develop the Sirajganj to Daikhowa river route, local media reports.
As per a tender proposal placed by the Ministry of Shipping, Dharitri Banga Limited of Bangladesh – a company which won the contract – will carry out dredging and other relevant work on the waterway at a cost of $26.8 million.
Under the agreement, the contractor will dredge the river route to two meter depth and thirty meter width in the next two years, and maintain the route for five years.
The project is set to be implemented under Bangladesh-India inland water transit and trade protocol route.
Background
In December 2017, the two countries agreed to undertake dredging of the rivers in Bangladesh to facilitate round the year navigation on those routes.
As part of the agreement, Sirajganj-Daikhowa section of the Jamuna river and Zakiganj-Ashuganj of Kushiyara river will be dredged with joint efforts of both the countries.
Bangladesh will bear 20 percent of the cost, while India will cover the rest.
After the dredging work is completed, the river route will become navigable for cargo vessels and northeastern India will be connected to the rest of the country with a major waterway.