Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority

Not to be confused with Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation.

The Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (Bengali: বাংলাদেশ অভ্যন্তরীণ নৌপরিবহন কর্তৃপক্ষ) also known as BIWTA is the authority which controls the inland water transport in Bangladesh. It's also responsible for managing development and maintenance of inland water transport system.

Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority

Agency overview
Formed	October 31, 1958 (1958-10-31)
Preceding agency	East Pakistan Inland Water Transport Authority
Type	Department
Headquarters	BIWTA Bhaban, 141/143, Motijheel, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Employees	3076[1]
Annual budget	BDT 4,000 Million (2018-2019). Development budget =BDT 15,000 Million [2]
Minister responsible	Brigadier General (Retd.) M Sakhawat Hussain Adviser, Ministry of Shipping[3]
Agency executive	Commodore Arif Ahmed Mustafa, Chairman
Website	www.biwta.gov.bd

History

Formation

The department was first established in 1958 by the former East Pakistan government as East Pakistan Inland Water Transport Authority (EPIWTA). It was established for overall control, management, and development of inland water transports in the entire region. This agency was introduced on October 31, 1958, under the East Pakistan Inland water Transport Authority Ordinance 1958 (E.P. Ordinance, NO LXXV of 1958). Later the government appointed three constituted authority of this institution on November 4, 1958. After independence of Bangladesh this department was renamed Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority. Today, an appointed advisory committee advises in respect of all related development, maintenance, and operations of inland water transport and of inland waterways in Bangladesh.^[1]

A salvage vessel of BIWTA