Poor navigability continues to interrupt Shimulia-Kathalbari ferry services

Poor navigability continues to interrupt ferry services on Shimulia-Kathalbari river route, affecting people from 21 southern districts and resulting in long tailbacks.

Around 600 vehicles including goods-laden trucks have remained stranded on both ends of the river due to limited operations of ferry services, our Munshiganj correspondent reports quoting Khandaker Shah Khaled Newaj, assistant general manager of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC).

Due to the interruption of ferry services, more and more holidaymakers are opting for speedboats and launches posing risk for accidents.

Roughly 5,000-5,500 light to heavy vehicles used to ply the route during Eid but now the number has come down to 1,000-1,200, the BIWTC official said.

The homebound people will have to have bear the brunt if the navigability remains like this, he added.

Meanwhile, BIWTA Additional Chief Engineer (Dredging) Saidur Rahman said, “We are working round-the-clock with nine dredgers and hopefully we will be able to open the Louhajang turning channel by Saturday.”

“All ferries will be able to operate on the route from Saturday,” he added.

The ferry services on the route in Lauhajang upazila were suspended twice this week due to poor navigability as the channel had only 5 feet water whereas the required limit is 7-8 feet.