Dhaka Times Desk It is reported that 40 ferries have been kept ready at 5 Ghats to handle the extra pressure of Eid.
Strict vigilance is being maintained at the ferries controlled by BIWTC during Eid to ensure smooth passage of vehicles. 40 ferries of different sizes have been kept ready at five ghats including 14 Ro-Ros to handle the increased traffic pressure during Eid. The leave of all levels of officials and employees related to ferry operation has been cancelled. Like every year, this year too, all types of trucks, except trucks carrying essential goods, have been ordered to stop passing through all ferries for three days before and after Eid. Law and order forces have been given necessary instructions to maintain the orderliness of the ghats as the number of vehicles at the ferry wharves has increased more than usual during Eid.
The Daulatdia-Paturia route, the gateway to 16 districts in the South-Western part of the country, has maintained more and error-free ferries than in the past. Currently, a total of 13 ferries including 10 Ro-Ro and 3 K-type ferries are plying at this ghat. Another Ro-Ro ferry will be added to the ferry fleet of this ghat before Eid. Although there is no ferry crisis on the Mawa-Kawrakandi waterway, the sinking is becoming an obstacle. The pigeon hole channel can be closed at any time due to diving. A total of 15 ferries including two Ro-Ros are plying on this route every day. As the Meghna continues to erode, the ferry movement on the Chandpur-Shariatpur route is being disrupted due to frequent shifting of the ghats. Only two ferries are plying on this route. Sources said that passenger suffering will increase if the number of ferries is not increased during Eid.
It is known that one of the busiest and most important points in the country is the Paturia-Daulatdia Ferry Ghat. 3000 vehicles cross the ferry every day, even though it is less than two. Around Eid, the number of these vehicles stands at 5 thousand. A survey of 24 hours showed that 3 thousand 494 vehicles crossed through Paturia-Daulatdia Ferry Ghat in 24 hours. The income of the organization is 39 lakh 79 thousand 87 taka. An average of 5 thousand vehicles pass through this route every day before Eid. Even if it is reduced in terms of income, it will be 65 lakhs per day. At present, ferries are taking longer than scheduled due to heavy traffic on the river.
According to BIWTC area office sources, since August 1, due to excessive traffic on the Paturia-Daulatdia route, the journey is taking longer. It also consumes more fuel. A Ro-Ro ferry takes 36 minutes from Paturia to Daulatdia during normal hours. Currently it takes 45 minutes. According to a statistic, it used to take 58 liters of fuel, now it takes 85 liters. On the other hand, a ro-ro ferry from Daulatdia to Paturia takes 33 minutes and consumes 58 liters of fuel. Currently it takes 41 minutes and fuel consumption is 77 liters.
On the other hand, the Paturia-Kazirhat route ferry service was started after almost five years after beating the drums, but losses have to be calculated from the very beginning. In the first month of service launch, there was a loss of around 6 lakh taka. According to BIWTC sources, this loss is due to various reasons including extra oil consumption due to the distance between the two ghats, empty ferry trips due to lack of vehicles. However, experts have opined that this route will be profitable if Kazirhat Ghat can be moved ten kilometers downstream. Distance from Paturia to Kazirhat is 20 km. Two K-type ferries named Kabri and Kapoti start the vehicular crossing on this route. Each ferry can carry eight to ten trucks at a time. Each ferry makes three trips per day. Md. Asudul Islam, master officer of Kabri Ferry, said that the distance from Paturia to Kazirhat Ferry Ghat is about 20 kilometers. It takes two to two and a half hours to cross the river. Currently, due to strong current in the river, it is taking more time. As a result, the cost of oil has increased.
Meanwhile, according to the news, ferries are currently running on the Mawa-Kawrakandi route with risk. The pigeon hole channel can be closed at any time due to numerous diver wakes. As a result, homebound passengers will suffer on Eid. According to BIWTC sources, the channel of Kubutarkhola, the only ferry plying at present, has narrowed and submerged due to receding water in the river. So there is serious disruption in the ferry service. Ferries are plying around the sand. At present 15 ferries are plying on the Mawa-Kawrakandi route. Among them, flat ferries are 7, K-type 3, medium 2, Ro-Ro 2, VIP 1. However, the authorities said that the number of K-type ferries will be increased in the pre-Eid period if the traffic pressure increases.
Meanwhile, it is known that the severe erosion of the Meghna is causing serious hindrance in Chandpur-Shariatpur ferry movement due to frequent shifting of ghats. Sometimes you have to wait for hours after leaving the ferry in the middle of the river. Especially before Eid, such problems can cause unlimited suffering to the traveling vehicles and passengers including the people at home. Vehicles are crossing only two ferries 6 times on this route. As a result, many vehicles are stuck on both banks of the ghat during normal times. If the number of ferries at this ghat is not increased during the Eid period, the traffic congestion will take a terrible shape. Chandpur-Shariatpur ferry service was launched by the then Awami League government in April 2001 at this Ferry Ghat, the only means of easy communication with the eastern part of 12 districts including Khulna, Barisal, Jhalkathi in the southern part of the country and the southern part of 12 districts including Chittagong, Noakhali, Sylhet in the eastern part of the country. Then three small ferries ply on this road. Later when the road became popular, 2 intermediate ferries were provided here. At present only 2 ferries namely Ketuki and Kasturi are plying despite the demand. This ferry 2 carries vehicles three times a day. A ferry carries a total of 12 vehicles per trip. According to BIWTC sources, the jetty of the ghat has to be raised and lowered due to erosion.
There are two ferry routes on the 65 km highway from Barisal to Bhola and 40 nautical miles across Meghna and Tentulia waterways. One is the 15 nautical mile ferry route from Laherhat in Barisal to Veduria Ghat in Bhola. The other is 25 to 28 nautical miles from Ilisha Ghat in Bhola to Majuchaudhuri Ghat in Laxmipur district. The Veduria-Laherhat ferry route was launched on 12 July 2001. On the other hand, as a result of the long-term agitation of Bhola residents, the ferry service on the Elisha-Majuchowdhury route started on February 27, 2008. At present, two ferries, Dolanchapa and Aparajita, are plying on the Laherhat-Veduria route. 80 to 90 thousand taka is earned in 10 trips per day in normal time. Excluding oil cost, the income from this route is about 6 lakh taka per month.
Although it is a profitable sector, no steps are being taken to develop this route. In the winter season, only 3-4 hundred feet of space is not dredged, so one has to travel around 10 kilometers. Again, during the monsoon season, the ferries are flooded by high tides. Every day 4-5 hours ferry is off load-unload. Although high level wharfs are supposed to be used during high tide on both banks, no pontoons or gangways have been installed at the high level ghats. As a result, ferries have to crowd at the low-level ghat. And because of this, the ferries are submerged in water during the high tides of the full moon or the new moon. Assistant Manager Sihabuddin said that as the number of daily trips decreased, the income was also decreasing. Apart from this, despite the assurance given by the Minister of Shipping Shajahan Khan, passenger cantonments have not been constructed at any wharf even in a year. Due to which the passengers returning home on Eid are facing extreme hardship in this full monsoon season, according to the related sources.
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