Padma devours part of Daulatdia ferry terminal

Daulatdia ferry ghat is now under serious threat posed by river erosion. Ghat (landing spot) No 2 was closed from Sunday after erosion of at least 50 feet around it, said Abdus Sobhan, manager (Marine) of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) Aricha ferry sector.

There are four ghats on each side of the Padma River, but at least five ghats on each side are needed to keep ferry service normal, he added.

Daulatdia ferry ghat  in Goalunda upazila of Rajbari district will go into the Padma River if the authorities concerned do not take necessary steps immediately to check river erosion, he said.

This correspondent visited Daulatdia ferry ghat on Monday afternoon and saw that a large part of Ghat No 2 had gone into the river.

Shah Alam, sub-assistant engineer of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA), said Ghat No 2 and Ghat No 3 are six hundred feet apart, and the gap should be filled to check erosion.

Md Ashraf Hossain, additional deputy magistrate of Rajbari district and convener of district crisis management cell, said the issue of Daulatdia ferry ghat was discussed at a meeting held at the deputy commissioner's office on February 14.

Representatives from BIWTA, BIWTC, Roads and Highways Department (RHD), Water Development Board (WDB) and upazila administration took part in the meeting, he said, adding that he had requested Md Sultan Ahmed, a port officer of BIWTA, to take immediate steps to protect Ghat No. 2 from erosion. But the port officer did not take any initiative in that regard, he said, adding that Ghat No. 2 has been damaged and Ghat No. 3 is now under threat.

Md Sultan Ahmed said they are trying to protect the other ghats from erosion. The two departments gave a proposal to the district administration to make an approach road and a new ghat to avoid disruption of ferry service.

Pankaj Ghosh, upazila nirbahi officer of Goalunda, said land acquisition for the approach road will take time, but steps must be taken to make another ghat and approach road urgently. Otherwise, it would be very difficult to keep ferry service normal.

Md Nurul Islam, chairman of Goalunda Upazila Parishad, urged the authorities to take necessary steps to keep the ghat usable as it is the gateway to 17 south and south-western districts.