BIWTC profits Tk 26.50 crore

Speaking at a press conference at its office in the city yesterday, BIWTA Chairman Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas said the corporation had been earning profit since last five years thanks to discipline brought in this sector.

"We made a profit of Tk 10.51 crore in fiscal year 2001-02, Tk 18.58 crore in 2002-03 fiscal, and Tk 25.34 crore in fiscal year 2003-04," he added.

The chairman said BIWTC has recently repaired and restarted three Ro-Ro ferries and one pontoon at a cost of Tk 13.82 crore to facilitate communications for passengers.

The corporation will soon press into service a new row row ferry and one pontoon at a cost of Tk 5.72 crore, he added.

"We have started rocket services on Dhaka-Khulna route for six-day instead of one-day per week and ferry services at Aricha-Paturia ghats," said the chairman.

He said BIWTC will start ferry services between Bhola and Laxmipur establishing direct road communications between Chittagong and Barisal divisions soon.

BIWTC officials Ashish Kumar Pal, Naimul Karim, Shahinul, MK Poddar and Kamal Uddin were also present at the press conference.