Ferry service limps due to poor facilities

Although ferry services on Najirganj-Dhawapara route, connecting Pabna and Rajbari districts through the mighty Padma river, kicked-off on January 1, it failed to attract travellers and bring any fruitful result for lack of necessary facilities.ccc

Roads and Highways Department (RHD) used to operate small utility ferries on the same route  for nearly 25 years. But the service was irregular due to lack of RHD's expertise.

Recently, Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) took charge of the route and started operating k-type ferries. But the operations began without arranging necessary facilities, including construction of a terminal, an alternative pontoon (ghat) and road widening works.

Trucker Abdul Kader, who was carrying poultry feed from Sirajganj to Madaripur, said travelling through Najirganj ferry ghat reduces at least 150km path, but sometimes they have to wait for hours to board on a ferry.

"Although ferries are available here, ferry service is delayed for lack of sufficient vehicles," he said.

Jahidul Islam, a BIWTC official at Najirganj Ferry Ghat, said in order to operate a ferry it needs at least 10 heavy vehicles or trucks on board.

Sometimes, they have to wait for hours to get sufficient vehicles for ferry operation.

"Currently, two k-type ferries are operational on the route every day, but most of the times none of those get sufficient vehicles," he said.

Ashraful Islam, another truck driver, said sometimes they have to wait for five to six hours.

But as there is no parking facility, they are forced to park the vehicles on the narrow road connecting the ghat, he said.

If four to five 5 trucks are parked on the road, it badly hampers vehicular movements, he added.

During a recent visit, this correspondent saw only 20 to 25 vehicles can cross the river on ferries every day due to lack of necessary facilities.

Moreover, about 25 BIWTC staff were found working on either side of the newly inaugurated route.

BIWTC Manager Shafayet Ahmed, also in charge of Najirganj-Dhawapara ferry service, said,"For smooth ferry operation, two pontoons (ghats), one in low and the other in high water level, are required."

Besides, vehicles soften struggle to reach the spot on time as the road, connecting the pontoon, is narrow.

Meanwhile, many passengers, who were travelling to Rajbari from Pabna, alleged that an influential syndicate have been forcing them to travel on small boats at double cost.

"I often need to go to Rajbari for professional reason and if I take the ferry, it costs me Tk 30." "But when I reach the ferry ghat, men of the lease holder often forces me to travel on boats, spending Tk 70," Sirajul Islam of Pabna's Sujanagar upazila said.

Contacted, Kazi Shajahan, one of the lease holders of the ferry ghat, said boats are there to carry the passengers in case the ferries are unavailable.

" We've take lease of the ghat for a year," he added.