Karnaphuli losing navigability

A huge portion of the river Karnaphuli has been silted up near Shah Amanat Bridge at Yeakubghat that narrowed down the river near port channel. PHOTO: Zobaer Hossain Sikder

Lack of proper maintenance and the irregular dredging of the port channel have further worsened the situation, experts said.

They suggest immediate dredging of the channel up to the estuary to avoid future disaster and ensure existence of the Chittagong port, lifeline of the country's economy.

A concerned official of the Hydrography Department, however, has had the different view. He said, "It is not fact that we don't conduct regular dredging in the channel."

"We do conduct dredging on regular basis and have to keep data of every 15-day to know the actual navigability," the official said.

But recent research studies by Marine Science Department of Chittagong University and Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (CUET) revealed that the Karnaphuli and the port channel are losing navigability due to massive dumping of wastes and rise of charland (shoal) on the river.

"The port city still doesn't have any underground sewerage pipeline system and treatment plant to release wastes.

About 1050 tonnes of wastes are dumped daily at the Karnaphuli and around 1.50 lakh tonnes of silt, resulting from torrential surge, used to pile up at the river mouth at Patenga every year that reducing the navigability," the study said.

And ship movements to and from port channel are disrupted quite often. Sometimes, the movement of ships depends on the rise and fall of the sea. Foreign ships with higher draft are to suffer most due to this.

They can move or enter without hassle into the port channel during high tide. In reverse situation, they had to wait for five to seven hours at their respective jetties, sources said.

Same thing goes with the ships at outer anchorage, waiting for their berthing turn into the port jetty.

The length of Chittagong port's navigational channel at Karnaphuli is around 15km. Of this, charlands have been developed at areas no less than 8kms. Huge shoal developed on the river Karnaphuli near Bangla Bazar, Shah Amanat Bridge, Bakalia, Shikalbaha and Firingee Bazar areas. Besides, depth of the river on the estuary is also reducing fast.

Sources at Marine Science Department said, the depth of navigational channel is now around six metres which is very much insufficient for round the clock and uninterrupted movement of ships to and from Chittagong Port.

"The channel depth should be at least eight metres to enable ship movement for 24 hours," said the sources.

Senior Hydrographer (Planning) of Chittagong Port Kazi Aminul Haq said at least 10-metre depth is needed for 24-hour ship movement.