Dhaka, July 29 -- Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) President Taskeen Ahmed on Wednesday called for a long-term, performance-based public-private partnership (PPP) framework to reverse decades of decline in Bangladesh's rivers and canals, warning that continued neglect is costing the economy billions of dollars annually in lost efficiency and congestion.

Taskeen made the call while presenting a paper titled 'Revitalising Circular Waterways and Inland Trade' at a seminar held at the DCCI Auditorium in Motijheel.

He said Bangladesh's more than 1,415 rivers and a historical canal network of roughly 24,000 kilometres form the backbone of the country's economy, but over 55% of canals are now silted or encroached.

Dry-season navi...