The government has reduced launch fare by 15 paisa per kilometre after fuel prices were lowered by Tk 5 per litre. The Ministry of Shipping issued a notification in this regard today (September 1, 2022). The new fares will be effective from tomorrow, it added. Fares have been reduced to Tk 2.85 per km for the first 100 kms from the existing Tk 3 per km. Beyond the first 100 kms, the fare has been decreased to Tk 2.45 per km from the existing Tk 2.60. The minimum fare has also been fixed at Tk 30 -- Tk 3 reduced from the existing Tk 33, according to the government notification. Read: Government cuts fuel prices by Tk5 per litre On Monday, the government lowered fuel prices by Tk 5 per litre, 23 days after raising them by up to 51.68 per cent. Prices of diesel and kerosene are now Tk 109, petrol Tk 125, and octane Tk 130 per litre at the filling stations, State Minister for Power, Energy, and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid told UNB. On August 16, the government increased launch fares in view of a 42.5% hike -- from Tk 80 to Tk 114 a litre -- in the diesel price. In 2021, the launch fare was fixed at Tk 2.30 per km for a distance for the first 100 km while the fares beyond the first 100 km Tk 2.00 per km. The minimum fare was Tk 25.

The Ministry of Shipping has signed two deals to dredge river routes aiming to strengthen capacity of Chattogram-Dhaka-Ashuganj corridor.  An agreement signing ceremony for dredging Chattogram-Dhaka-Ashuganj and connected river routes and establishing terminal along with other establishments funded by World Bank was held on Saturday at Hotel Radisson in the capital. State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury was present at the program as the chief guest while Project Director and Additional Chief Engineer of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority Md Ayub Ali signed the deal with Gulf Cobla-Karnaphuli joint venture and Dharti-Banga joint venture’s representatives. Read: Low price dims the joy of watermelon growers in Khulna despite bumper harvest According to the deal, the contractors will carry out excavation for development and protection of 13 river routes involving Tk 430 crore.   Under the project, 900 kilometers waterways will be excavated, cyclone shelters will be constructed for vessels in six places, conservation dredging will be done in three ferry crossing zones, four passenger and cargo terminals, 15 landing stations will be established and two multipurpose vessels will be procured. Shatnal, Charbhairabi, Chandpur, Mehendiganj, Sandwip, and Nalchira are the primarily selected places to build the cyclone centers. Chandpur-Sharaitpur, Lakshmipur-Bhola, Bheduria-Laharhat ferry crossings will be dredged and conserved.  About 80% of the country's inland vessels operate through Chattogram-Dhaka-Ashuganj corridor and about two lakh passengers use these routes daily. Read: Fugitive businessman PK Halder held in India BIWTA will implement the project and the deadline for completing the project has been fixed on December 31, 2025. Estimated cost of this project is Tk 3349.42 crore. Of which Tk 3052.80 crore will be provided by World Bank as project assistance and Tk 296.62 crore by the Government of Bangladesh. 

Work to maintain a depth of 6.3 meters in the Rabnabad Channel of Payra Port was launched by the Chattogram Port Authority on Saturday.

State Minister for Industries Kamal Ahmed Majumder on Sunday suggested digging canals in Dhaka city alongside constructing walkways, green fences on both sides and handing them over to the two city corporations through a memorandum of understanding.