Inland water vessel services resume

The inland water vessel services across the country resumed this morning around 16 hours after Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) suspended the operation due to bad weather.

BIWTA withdrew the suspension at 7:00am as the weather condition started to improve gradually, Shahed Reza, BIWTA joint director told The Daily Star. 

Although inland river ports have been advised to keep hoisted local cautionary signal no one, they called for withdrawal of the bar on operation of launches, ferries and speedboats on all waterways throughout the country, he said. “We hope the weather will improve as the day proceeds”.

Our Munshiganj correspondent quoting the assistant general manger Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) said they started the operation of ferries, launches and speedboats around 6:00am.

The BIWTA yesterday suspended the operation of all types of vessels across the country due to inclement weather caused by a land depression formed in the Bay.

Bangladesh Meteorological Department has asked maritime ports of Chittagong, Cox's Bazar, Mongla and Payra to lower signals from local cautionary signal no three.

The land depression over Kishoreganj and adjoining areas of Bangladesh moved further northeastwards, weakened into a well marked low and then into a low and was centered over Sylhet region and adjoining areas at 9:00am, according to a Met office report published on their website.

Squally weather is unlikely over North Bay and adjoining coastal areas of Bangladesh, according to the report.

Meanwhile, all fishing boats and trawlers over North Bay have been advised to proceed with caution till 6:00pm today.