FUNCTIONS OF BIWTC:

BIWTC is a service oriented commercial organisation in the public sector. Since its creation, it has been playing a vital role in the inland and coastal water ways by carrying of passengers, cargo and vehicles. The functions of BIWTC are as follows:

1. To provide services for safe transportation of passenger and cargo in inland and coastal water ways.
2. To provide services for transportation of vehicles in the waterways.
3. III. To operate safe transport services for transportation of passenger and cargo between mainland and off-shore islands, where thousands of people are living.
4. IV. To provide services in the uneconomic routes as Public Service Obligation (PSO).
5. V. To render any other emergency services at time of national needs.
6. VI. To maintain dockyard and repair yard for repair and renovation of vessels engaged in the above mentioned activities.

With the aim of transforming BIWTC into a commercially viable organisation, in accordance with the strategic plan of the IDA proposed IWT-III project the BIWTC has been transformed unit basis organisation and it is performing its activities with the following units:-

1. Ferry Service Unit.
2. Passenger Service Unit.
3. Cargo Service Unit.
4. Ship Repair Service Unit.

Brief descriptions regarding activities of the above units are as follows:


Ferry Service Unit

BIWTC is providing day/night ferry services in the following routes to connect Northern and Southern regions with the Eastern region of the country by bridging the road gaps:

Name of Routes/Services
I	Paturia	Kazirhat	Paturia
II	Paturia	Daulatdia	Paturia
III	Mawa	Charjanajat	Mawa
IV	Mawa	Kathalbari	Mawa
V	Chandpur	Shariatpur	Chandpur

The above ferry services are being operated by different categories of self-propelled and dumb ferries including Ro-Ro ferries. The particulars of vessels engaged under this unit as on 23.05.2004 are as follows:-

Type of vessel	No. Of Commercial vessel	No. Of Auxiliary vessel	Total vessel
Small Ferry	3	-	3
Medium Ferry	4	-	4
K-Type Ferry	8	-	8
Ro-Ro Ferry	12	-	12
Dumb Ferry	8	-	8
Sub-Total	35	9	44
Tug (auxiliary vessel)	12	-	12
Total	47	9	56

Passenger Service Unit

BIWTC is responsible for operation of passenger services both in inland water routes and in the coastal areas & off-shore islands of the country. Those off-shore islands are inhabited by crores of people & are also growing populous day by day. Waterways are the only communication media for the people of the region for carrying out their day-to-day socio-economic activities. But till to day no proper passenger service could have been opened in the area by the private sector.

As such the responsibility for operation of the passenger vessels in the region has been vested upon with BIWTC for a long time on behalf of the Government as a Public Service Obligation (PSO).

Passenger Service Unit is mainly engaged in carrying passengers in the inland waterways, coastal areas and off-shore islands. Vessels of this unit are plying in the following routes:

Name of Routes/Services
Inland

1. Dhaka-Khulna Rocket Service

Coastal

1. Chittagong-Barisal Steamer Service
2. Chittagong-Hatiya Steamer Service
3. Daulatkhan - Char Alexander Sea-truck Service
4. Kumira-Guptachara LCT Serivce
5. Hatiya-Char Bata Sea-truck Service
6. Char Changa-Char Bata Sea-truck Service
7. Manpura-Shashiganj Sea-truck Service.
8. Barisal-Mozuchowdhuryhat Sea-truck Service.
9. Kaliya-Nazirpur Sea-truck Service.
10. Alexander-Mirjakalu Sea-truck Service.
11. Teknaf-Sent Martin Tourist Sea-truck Service.

The vessels plying under this unit as on 23.05.2004 are as follows:-

Type of vessel	No. Of Commercial vessel	No. Of Auxiliary vessel	Total vessel
Paddle Steamer	4	13	17
Other vessel	24	0	24
Total	28	13	41

Cargo Service Unit

Cargo Service Unit of BIWTC is mainly responsible for carrying of various kinds of commodities like food, food grains, Jute & jute goods cement, clinker, fuel and petroleum products from Chittagong and Mongla Port to different inland river ports of the country. In addition, cargo vessels also send to kolkata (India) port under the Inter country transit and trade protocol agreement between the two countries. These commodities are transported by the Coasters, Tankers and barges of the Unit.

Name of Services:
I	Chittagong	Dhaka
II	Chittagong	Narayanganj
III	Chittagong	Mongla/Khulna
IV	Dhaka	Mongla
V	Narayanganj	Mongla
VI	Narayanganj	Ashuganj
VII	Khulna	Mongla
VIII	Narayanganj	Kolkata (India)
IX	Khulna	Kolkata (India)

The vessel position under Cargo Service Unit as on 23.05.2004 are as follows:

Type of vessel	No. Of Commercial vessel	No. Of Auxiliary vessel	Total vessel
Coaster	14	-	14
Tanker	12	-	12
Self-Propelled Barge	10	-	10
Bay Crossing & Inland Barge	21	-	21
Bay Crossing & Inland Tug	09 -	- -	09 -
Others	-	18	18
Total	66	18	84

Ship Repair Service Unit

Under Ship Repair Service Unit there are 4 dockyards and one Floating Dock located at Narayanganj for repair and maintenance of Corporation's own vessels. To make the dockyard a profit centre, steps have been taken to undertake repair works of private vessels also.

For attending emergency repair works, facilities are also available at Aricha, Mawa, Khulna, Barisal, Chittagong and Chandpur.

It may be mentioned here that there is a Fibre Glass Factory under this Unit which produces quality products such as speed boat, hull, helmet, chair and various type of house hold furniture.

There are 14 auxiliary vessels placed under this Unit for smooth functioning of its normal works.


Stations & Ghats of BIWTC

BIWTC has 44 Stations and ghats for operation of its services under Ferry Service Unit, Passenger Service Unit and Cargo Service Unit. The names of the stations and ghats are as follows:-

1	Paturia	16	Kumira	31	Barisal
2	Kazirhat	17	Maitbhanga	32	Shariatpur
3	Daulatdia	18	Guptachara	33	Charchenga
4	Mawa	19	Manpura	34	Majuchowdhury Hat
5	Char Janajat	20	Shashiganj	35	Kathalbari
6	Narayanganj Terminal-1, 2	21	Daulatpur	36	Teknaf
7	Narayanganj Terminal-3	22	Khulna Ghat	37	St. Martin
8	Dhaka Ghat	23	Delta Ghat, Khulna	38	Harinaghat(Chandpur)
9	Chandpur	24	Mongla
10	Chittagong Terminal-1	25	Morrelgonj
11	Chittagong Terminal-2	26	Bara Mashua
12	Sandwip	27	Char Khali
13	Hatiya	28	Hularhat
14	Daulatkhan	29	Kowkhali
15	Char Bata	30	Jhalakati