Ferry Services

Collected Passenger filled ferry

Authorities fail to control homebound passengers, allow ferries to operate

Ashiquzzaman, general manager of BIWTC, said on Monday (May 10th) afternoon that the ferry service on the Paturia-Daulatdia route would be allowed. On the other hand, Assistant Manager (Commerce) of Banglabazar Ferry Ghat Jamil Ahmed confirmed the launch of ferry on Banglabazar-Shimulia route. He said the ferry service has started from the afternoon.

In a statement issued on Friday night (May 7), BIWTC said ferry services on the Paturia-Daulatdia and Shimulia-Banglabazar waterways would be suspended during the day from Saturday (May 8). At night the ferry will only run for freight transport crossings.

Earlier, BIWTC chairman Syed Mohammad Tajul Islam Dhaka had said that the ferry was not for passenger transport but for transporting vehicles. The Prime Minister also said that Eid should be celebrated right where people are, but no one is listening to anything. People are very reckless.

An hour before the permission was granted, the Banalata ferry left Paturia ferry terminal in Manikganj for Daulatdia with 1,000 passengers. The ferry left around 4:15 pm on Monday. The passengers were crowded on the ferry. Passengers can be seen standing in the sun and going to their destination without considering the social distance.

The passengers said that they were going home with their heads in their heads to share the joy of Eid with their relatives, ignoring the health rules. Since this morning, 10 small ferries have left the Paturia ferry terminal with thousands of passengers in two or three ambulances and hearse.

In the last few days, the pressure of homebound passengers has been increasing at the ferry terminal ahead of Eid amid government restrictions to prevent coronavirus infection. Due to the extra pressure of the passengers, no vehicle could get on the ferry.