Ferry services through the Paturia-Daulatdia river route, the gateway to country’s South and south-western region, were disrupted for eight hours as visibility came down to zero due to dense fog on Friday.
The ferry service disruption created immense sufferings to passengers, especially women and children.
Mohiuddin Rasel, Manager (Commerce) of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) at Aricha sector told The Bangladesh Post, two Ro-Ro ferries named Bir Shrestha Motiur Rahman, Shah Jalal and K-type ferry Hasna Hena and Rojonigondha with vehicles and passengers were bound for anchored in the mid river of Padma for the hours.
During the period, 10 others others ferries with hundreds of trucks, passenger buses and small vehicles on board were forced to wait at Paturia and Daulatdia ghat, till the visibility regained, the Manager adds
Deputy General Manager (DGM) of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) at Aricha sector Jillur Rahman told the Independent that the ferry services were disrupted from 10:30 pm on Thursday as the channel became risky due to thick fog.
The vessels reached their destinations after visibility was restored at about 6.30 am on Friday, he added.
The suspension of ferries caused long traffic chaos on both sides of the ferry routes and also untold inconveniences of passengers of stranded vehicles amid chilling cold.
About 400 vehicles including Coaches, Bus, Minibus, Privet Car and loaded trucks from Dhaka lined up at Paturia in Manikganj and 300 others vehicles lined up at Daulatdia in Rajbari at about 10:00 am.
Every moment the line of the vehicles are going to longest. on duty Traffic Inspector at Paturia ferry ghat in Shebalaya told the Bangladesh Post.
