Ferry Service Disruption: 200 vehicles stranded on both sides of Padma

More than 200 vehicles especially goods-laden trucks remained stranded for the third consecutive day yesterday at Shimulia-Kathalbari terminals due to severe disruption in ferry services caused by poor navigability in a stretch of the Padma.

Officials of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) said the situation would not get any better before Friday.

The authority suspended ferry services in the terminals from 2:00pm on Sunday as silt deposited in the ferry channels and dropped the water level causing the poor navigability.

Abdul Alim, manager of Shimulia Ghat, said the water was only five feet deep in the channels while it must be at least seven feet deep for proper ferry operation.

He said though the operation was suspended on Sunday, the disruption had been going on since August.

The authority had been trying to dredge the channels to increase water level but struggling due to strong current, he added.

Officials of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) informed that all 17 ferries, operate normally on Shimulia-Kathalbari route, were anchored on the banks. They arranged three small ferries to carry ambulances for emergency situations.

Meanwhile, several hundred good-laden vehicles remained stuck for days in the terminals. 

Traffic Inspector Md Helal Uddin of Shimulia Ghat traffic police said at least 200 trucks were waiting to cross the river since last week. 

Drivers and helpers of these vehicles were passing days in misery as there was no hotel and shop near the terminals as illegal shops were recently evicted from the spot, locals said.

Sabuj Miah, a truck driver at Shimulia Ghat, said he was heading Jessore but got stranded as ferry operation stopped.

“I have been sleeping in the truck for last three days with nothing to eat. I don’t know how would I survive till Friday,” said Sabuj.

A driver of Hamim Paribahan Anu Mollah said he came with passengers from Dhaka. As they got stuck in the terminal, all the passengers got down from the vehicle and left.