Govt allows export of sand at Tk 1 per cft

The government has decided to allow the export of sand to Singapore and Maldives at Tk 1 per cubic foot.

The decision was taken at a meeting of National Sand Corridor Management Committee on Monday with land minister Shamsur Rahman Sharif in the chair.

Sharif said sand can be lifted experimentally for six months initially from the proposed site of Jamuna River by keeping the flows normal for river traffic and navigability. If any adverse impact on the environment is detected, the dredging will be kept stopped, he added.

Earlier, Infrastructure Dredging Limited applied to the ministry of water resources seeking permission for dredging Jamuna River and exporting the sand to Singapore and Maldives at its own cost initially for a period of two years.

Later, the land ministry, water resources ministry and shipping ministry discussed the proposal of Infrastructure Dredging Limited at a meeting of National Sand Corridor Management Committee on October 18, 2016. In the meeting, a five-member team was formed to make recommendation on the export rate of sand.

Shipping minister Sahjahan Khan, water resources minister Anisul Islam Mahmud and state minister for land Saifuzzaman Chowdhury attended the meeting.

Senior land secretary Mesbah ul Alam, senior water resources secretary Dr Zafar Ahmed Khan, shipping secretary Ashok Madhab Roy and Infrastructure Dredging Limited chairman M A Mannan were present.

Source: BSS