The government has directed the deputy commissioners (DCs) to take tougher steps with an eye to preserving the navigability of rivers across the country.
The DCs have also been asked to get tough with river polluters as well as encroachers.
State minister for shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdh-ury gave the directives at a DC Conference at Osmani Memorial Auditorium in Dhaka on Thursday.
Talking to the media after the conference, he said, "The DCs have a role in ensuring rivers' navigability and protecting those from illegal encroachments."
He said there are committees at district level to oversee rivers and the DCs are the heads of the committees in their respective districts.
"They (DCs) are working a lot to protect rivers and they will be able to strengthen their efforts to preserve, protect and defend rivers from encroachment."
The junior minister says rivers lose navigability due to extraction or lifting of sand illegally.
"We (the government) have directed the DCs to look into this (matter) seriously," he adds.
Mr Khalid further says that the DCs have been asked to intensify surveillance of any unethical activity at land ports.
The DCs have been informed of the initiatives taken by his ministry and asked to execute those at districts for the betterment of the rivers.
Mr Khalid says the government has taken initiatives to upgrade the river ports of Bhola, Hatiya and others.
Replying to a query, he claims that the number of accidents on river routes has decreased despite a few big accidents have happened recently.
Some long-standing 'deadlock' and 'irregularities' still exist in the riverine sector of the country that will require some time to overcome.
Mr Khalid suggests changing the designs of launches, as these vessels are unfit in the present Covid-19 time.
"We (the government) are working on it. Our aim is only to ensure the safety of the riverine passengers," he ends on an optimistic note.
talhabinhabib@yahoo.com