Eid journey: Ferry service disruption continues

The disruption of ferry services on Paturia-Daulatdia route continued on Thursday causing immense sufferings to home-goers ahead of Eid-up-Azha as the authority could not reinstall two landing stations at Daulatdia.
Ferry services on the route was disrupted for the past few days because of various problems including heavy current in the river Padma, damaged landing stations and shortage of ferries, Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority officials said.
Huge tailbacks were seen on the both sides of the Padma. More than 350 vehicles were seen waiting on Paturia side while 400 vehicles, including cattle-laden trucks, were waiting on Daulatdia side Thursday afternoon.
Kushtia-bound passenger Mintu Miah said that they waited three hours at Paturia ghat to board a ferry on Thursday.
Magura-bound RK Travels passenger Abul Kasam said at about 2:00pm that he started the journey at about 8:00am from Gabtoli bus terminal in Dhaka with his family on and his bus reached Paturia at about 10:30am, but was yet to get on a ferry.

A passenger jumps out of a launch to board another one after failing to secure a seat for him as homebound people crowded Sadarghat launch terminal in Dhaka on Thursday. — Indrajit Ghosh

Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation’s Aricha office assistant manager Zillur Rahman said that ferries were taking double time for ferrying because of heavy current of the Padma. Two of the four landing stations were in use as the authority could not reinstall the rest two at Daulatdia.
He added that pressure of vehicles was on the rise as Eid holidaymakers were streaming out of Dhaka for their ancestral homes.
If the two landing stations are not reinstalled immediately thing would be messed up, Zillur said.
Nine Ro-Ro ferries, three K-type ferries and five utility ferries are still in operation in the Paturia-Daulatdia route, corporation officials said.
Two Utility ferries Hasnahena and Madhabilata are in floating workshop Madhumati at Paturia for repairing, said corporation assistant engineers Subol Sarker.
One Ro-Ro ferry from Narayanganj dockyard is expected to join Paturia-Daulatdia route within two days, he said.
The ferry service will be normal after the joining of the three ferries and reinstallation of the two landing stations at Daulatdia, he added.

News Courtesy: newagebd.com