Water bus services will begin on Dhaka’s 110km circular waterway network within the next three months, Shipping Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam said today.

The rivers Turag, Buriganga, Shitalakkhya and Balu, along with the wider waterway network, encircle Dhaka. Officials believe introducing passenger vessels on these routes will help ease traffic congestion by reducing pressure on the capital’s overcrowded roads.

The minister made the remarks while responding to a supplementary question from Quamrul Hassan MP during the question-and-answer session in parliament this afternoon.

He said authorities are working to create the necessary conditions for launching water bus services around Dhaka.

“Such services were introduced a decade ago but incurred losses amounting to Tk 57 crore over the last 10 years, an average of Tk 5.7 crore annually,” he said.

Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) has now identified the problems and taken fresh initiatives to reintroduce water buses along the capital’s waterways.

“We expect operations to begin within the next two to three months,” the minister said.

He also said authorities have identified 424 pollution spots along the rivers encircling Dhaka, where chemical, liquid and solid waste are being discharged at an alarming rate.

Under the leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, a comprehensive initiative has been launched to free the five rivers around Dhaka from pollution, the minister added.

He also said a high-level coordination meeting was held yesterday, and a committee has been formed to oversee the initiative; the rivers have already been inspected.

To carry out the cleanup, WASA, Dhaka’s two city corporations, Narayanganj City Corporation, Gazipur City Corporation, BIWTA and the Ministry of Water Resources are working together in coordination.