The Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) has decided to curtail the purchase of dredgers under a long-delayed Tk 45 billion project, after failing to complete it within seven years.

The project — Procurement of 35 Dredgers and Auxiliary Watercraft with Related Equipment and Necessary Infrastructure — was launched in 2018 to restore navigability along 8,000 kilometers of river routes across 100 rivers. But the execution delays have now forced the agency to revise its targets sharply, with plans to acquire only 12 dredgers instead of 35.

Following the project’s expiry in June 2023, BIWTA secured a two-year extension until June 2025 and a first revision that slightly raised costs to Tk 45.15 billion. Yet, progress has remained sluggish. The Planning Commission has since granted another extension on “special consideration,” allowing completion by June 2027.

A senior Planning Commission official said BIWTA had now sought a second revision, slashing key works while retaining consultancy costs estimated at Tk 502.198 million.

The revised Development Project Proposal also adds Tk 600 million for fuel and lubricants, while reducing the overall budget by only Tk 13.19 billion, or 29.2 per cent, to Tk 31.91 billion.

The Planning Commission has expressed concern over the shrinking scope of work and asked BIWTA to form a review committee to recast the plan without compromising its core objectives.