The economic and environmental policy evaluation of inland water transport development in Bangladesh : M.Phil. Development Studies project, Massey University, New Zealand
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Date
1998
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Massey University
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Abstract
Throughout Asia, transport and water resources have followed generally
separate paths of development and policy. This is particularly clear in Bangladesh where
abstraction of surface water for irrigation, both higher in the international basin and within
Bangladesh, contributed significantly to reduced channel depths for navigation. Similarly,
dredging for channel improvements has had lower priority than embankment construction for
flood protection and all weather road and rail services. These have impeded drainage and have
constrained the significant informal inland water transport services. Other constraints include a
weak legislatory and policy framework, and policy implementation and enforcement are weak in
both sectors. Also, dredging is split under two public sector entities, with little incentive or
encouragement of private sector involvement.
In Europe and the USA, flood protection improvements, both by river training and
dredging, have gone hand in hand over 200 years, and river user management is integrated and
controlled under comprehensive legislation, policy, and institutional and user systems. The
study has found that some initiatives along these lines are being taken in Bangladesh,
especially under an ongoing National Water Management Plan due for completion by 2001, and
some project initiatives are being considered. However, concerted effort is needed to recognize
the economic and environmental benefits of inland water transport vis-a-vis other transport
modes, and to design water resources development projects which also cater to this potential,
and allow for inland water transport to make a significant contribution to cost recovery of the
waterways improvement.
Several potential projects have been identified which will help to address the
situation. In parallel, further efforts to build international cooperation among the riparian states
and measures to mitigate the potential pollution impacts of inland water transport need to be put
into place quickly.
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Water resources development, Waterways