Civil society organisations (CSOs) on Wednesday demanded transparency and accountability in the pilotage and repair of dredgers used in river excavation and regular silt removal. They also demanded the formation of an independent probe committee to report on the irregularities and corruption in the sector in the last three years to stop the misuse and wastage of public funds. Twenty-three representatives of different non-government organisations came up with the demand in a joint statement. According to the statement, the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) dredges rivers and regularly removes sediments from waterways to maintain navigable waterways. For this, the BIWTA has the required number of vessels, including 45 dredgers. There are separate dredger bases under BIWTA's dredging department to maintain, operate and repair these. The CSO representatives said there are allegations of widespread financial irregularities and corruption in the management and repair of dredgers and auxiliary vessels. They demanded the formation of an independent investigation committee of experts from the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) and the Bangladesh Marine Academy to investigate irregularities and corruption. Also, to ensure transparency and accountability, the CSO representatives demanded the disclosure of sector-wise expenditures to the media and the public online every month. Read more: NCPSRR wants transparency in river dredging, silt removal The signatories of the statement are Consumer Association of Bangladesh (CAB) Vice-President SM Nazar Hossain, Freedom Fighter Nurur Rahman Salim, Nagorik Udyog Chief Executive Zakir Hossain, Udichi Shilpa Goshthi General Secretary Amit Ranjan Dey, Green Club of Bangladesh Executive President Mohammad Shahid Mia, former general secretary of Dhaka Reporters Unity Raju Ahmed, National Committee to Protect Shipping, Roads and Railways General Secretary Ashis Kumar Dey, and marine engineer Abdul Hamid. Coordinator of Sundarban and Upokul Surokkha Andolon Nikhil Chandra Bhadra, Vice-President of Dhaka Sangbadik Union Manik Lal Ghosh, Executive Director of Poverty Immunization Assistance Center for Everywhere Ifma Hussain, Member Secretary of Unyanan Dhara Trust Aminur Rasul Babul, President of Alokita Garments Sramik Federation Bappidev Borman, Executive Director of Dwip Unnoyan Sangstha Rafiqul Alam, Executive Director of Media Forum for Human Rights and Environmental Development Rafiqul Islam Sabuj also signed the statement. Bangladesh Hawkers Union General Secretary Shekender Hayat, Writer Rajan Bhattacharya, Central Coordinator of Janalok Rafiqul Islam Sujan, Convener of Sachetan Sangstha Shakila Parveen, President of Committee to Protect River and Coast Kamruzzaman Nashim, Joint Secretary of Dhaka North City Citizen Forum Mostafa Kamal Akand, President of Old Dhaka Nagorik Udyog Nazim Uddin and Convenor of Mukti Shikha Jihad Arif are the other signatories. Also read: Dredger capsized during Sitrang: Bodies of 8 workers recovered  

Bodies of eight workers, who went missing after a dredger sank in the Bay of Bengal as Cyclone Sitrang hit the coastal districts Monday (October 24, 2022) night, were recovered from the Bay off the coast of Mirsarai in Chattogram on Tuesday. Five of the deceased were identified as Mahmud Molla, Alamin, Imam Molla, Abul Bashar and Tarek. They all are from Patuakhali district. Read Cyclone Sitrang kills at least 29 across Bangladesh The sand lifting dredger (Saikat-2) was anchored, with the eight workers on board, in the sea around 1000 feet away from the embankment in Bashundhara area of the upazila and sank in the sea during the storm triggered by Cyclone Sitrang around 10 pm last night, Md Kabir Hossain, officer-in-charge (OC) of Mirsarai Police Station, said. Mirsarai police and fire service divers recovered the bodies from the sunken dredger around 2 pm, the OC added. Read Cyclone Sitrang aftermath: 10,000 houses in 419 unions damaged, says state minister Dredger manager Rezaul Karim said six more dredgers were kept in the area adjacent to the embankment in Bashundhara area. “All the other workers managed to evacuate to a safe place following the cyclone, but the eight workers of the dredger Saikat-2 did not return.”