Rabnabad Channel Dredging project: Challenges and Prospects

Author: Humayun Rashid Askari, Mohammad Nazir Hossain, Rezwana Tauhid Bushra, Md. Imran Hasan.Rafe, Md. Mirazul Islam, Najmul Hossin Nahid, M Ziauddin Alamgir
DOI: doi.org/10.70279/bmj-v6-i1-1064
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The Port Payra is the third seaport of the maritime nation Bangladesh and Rabnabad Channel is the main entrance to it. The 4Km long navigational channel which is connected to the Bay of Bengal will contribute to the immense progress and economic development of this maritime country by building up a strong network, connectivity, and in many other ways. The boom in the economy of Bangladesh largely depends on the development of this river channel, and it is essential to maintain the river channel depth through dredging for the smooth movement of the vessels to the port. Dredging in Bangladesh has been a continuous process as Bangladeshi rivers carry a considerable amount of sediments all year-round. The dredging process involves carrying out excavation, removing naturally deposited sediments or debris such as rocks, bottom sediments, construction debris, refuse, etc., to create adequate space for the transportation of vessels. The PPA (Payra Port Authority), and Belgian company Jan de Nul have agreed to dredge a 75km stretch of the channel, assuring a draft of 10.5 meters that would allow entry and anchoring of ships having a carrying capacity of up to 55,000 tons and also to maintain a certain depth that is safe for navigation. This study seeks to figure out the impact of the Rabnabad Channel Dredging Project on the economy, explore its prospects and identify the challenges faced by the project. It also seeks to find out the economic, social, and environmental sustainability of the project. This study has a qualitative approach that depended on data collected from secondary sources. Moreover, the study also gives an overview of the Rabnabad Channel dreading project and makes a recommendation for dealing with the challenges.