94 lighter ships have been allocated on the inaugural day of the berthing meeting of the Bangladesh Water Transport Coordination Cell (BWTCC). The people concerned are happy to have been allocated ships at lower fares for transporting goods than before.
BWTCC sources said that the fare per ton for transporting clinker from the outer anchorage of Chattogram Port to Dhaka and Narayanganj destinations was previously 574 taka, but now it has been reduced to 550 taka. The rent for gypsum, which was 606 taka, has now been fixed at 568 taka, the rent for ball clay has been fixed at 550 taka instead of 583 taka, the rent for TSP or DAP has been fixed at 594 taka instead of 641 taka, the rent for salt has been fixed at 675 taka, the rent for coal and sugar (bags) has been fixed at 612 taka instead of 666 taka, the rent for wheat has been fixed at 610 taka instead of 662 taka, and the rent for stone (10 mm) has been fixed at 581 taka instead of 625 taka.
Not only Dhaka or Narayanganj, the new list includes fares for Meghna, Muktarpur, Kachpur, Aliganj, Nitaiganj, Barishal, Chandpur, Khulna, Mongla, Nagarbari, Tepakhola, Baghabari, Ashuganj, Bhairab, Daudkandi, Ghorashal, Palash, Ruposhi, Sandwip, Bhola, Jhalokati, Patuakhali, Basila, Chhatak, Sunamganj, Mollarhat, Shariatpur, Mawa, Itna, Babuganj, Barguna, Lalmohan, Payra, Aricha, Mirsarai Economic Zone, Cox's Bazar, and Chattogram's Banshkhali, Baharchhara, Gandamara, Shikolbaha, Kalurghat Bridge. The products also include sugar raw materials, rice, rock sulfur, rock phosphate, HR coils, billets, pulses, corn, soybeans, mosaic stones, poultry feed, bamboo, pipes, rods, etc.
The new fare has been effective from Monday (November 4).
Commodore Mohammad Maqsud Alam, Director General of the Department of Shipping, was the chief guest at the inauguration of the berthing meeting program at the BWTCC auditorium in Agrabad on Monday afternoon.
He said, 'In order to make the shipping sector safe, fair and orderly like other transport sectors in the country, initiatives have been taken to ensure that lighterage ships can transport goods from Chattogram port in a serial manner. This will boost the country's economic development by ensuring normal and safe import, export and trade.'
The meeting was chaired by BWTTC Cell Convener Sayeed Ahmed and was attended by Chief Engineer and Ship Supervisor of the Department of Shipping Mohammad Manjurul Kabir, Cell Officer Haji Shafiq Ahmed, Engineer Mehboob Kabir and others as special guests. Members of Bangladesh Cargo Vessel Owners Association, Coastal Ship Owners Association of Bangladesh, Inland Vessel Owners Association of Chattogram, Local Agent Association, Cargo Agent Association and other business leaders were present at the meeting.
The meeting expressed gratitude to Brigadier General (Retd.) Dr. M. Sakhawat Hossain, Adviser to the Ministry of Shipping and Director General of the Department of Shipping, Commodore Mohammad Maqsud Alam for approving the ‘Goods Transport Policy 2024 in Sea Ports of Bangladesh through Lighter Ships Licensed by the Department of Shipping’.
The meeting was informed that in the policy formulated on October 15, the sole responsibility of serialization, allocation and determination of ship fares of lighter vessels has been assigned to the private organization Bangladesh Water Transport Coordination Cell (BWTCC). According to the new policy, a 10-member supervisory committee headed by the Director General of the Department of Shipping will monitor the activities of this cell. Convener Sayeed Ahmed said that BWTCC is a business organization, which will be free from politics. Its main goal is to make this sector free from corruption. To solve the problems of stakeholders quickly. To create a transparent and accountable cell. To prevent misuse of expenses. To protect the mother vessel's goods from demurrage and to brighten the country's image abroad.