The Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) is constructing around 52 kilometres of walkways along the five rivers. As of now, around 20 kilometres of these walkways have been completed and are accessible to the public.
According to BIWTA, the three-kilometre stretch of walkways on the bank of River Turag in the Mohammadpur-Basila area was opened to pedestrians in June 2022.
The transformation has led to other positive changes in the area, including the opening of new eateries and cafes along the walkways. Moreover, the value of the nearby properties has witnessed an increase, showcasing the positive economic impact of such initiatives.
Shafiqul Islam Sumon, the owner of Neda-E-Food Valley in Mohammadpur’s Dhaka Udyan area, said previously, safety concerns deterred people from visiting the area even during the day.
However, the situation has improved significantly, and the area now experiences a consistent influx of visitors, particularly on weekends.
Plan to build walkways on both banks of five rivers: BIWTA plans to construct a total of 220 kilometres of walkways encircling Dhaka, positioned on both banks of Buriganga, Dhaleswari, Shitalakhya, Balu and Turag.
The first phase of the walkway encompassing around 20 kilometres was finalised in 2015, and at present, work is underway on the second phase, covering 52km.
In the third phase, a proposal for a 148-kilometre walkway project was submitted to the Ministry of Shipping in 2020.
Besides, BIWTA’s third walkway initiative is enlisted under the World Bank’s Umbrella Investment Programme (UIP), which is designed to rejuvenate these five rivers encircling Dhaka through decontamination. In addition to the walkways, the ongoing project comprises the installation of 7500 river border pillars, the construction of 40km of reinforced cement concrete (RCC) retaining walls, the establishment of 14 substantial jetties and the creation of three eco-parks along with plantations.
