A vital ferry route ignored for long

A partial view of the crowd of passengers, snapped at Ilisha ghat on Monday, waiting for a sea truck to go to Laxmipur.. PHOTO: STAR

A 15-kilometre ferry service from Bhola to Laxmipur can reduce the road distance to Chittagong by about 250 kilometres, cut the travel time by half and boost economic activities in 21 southern districts.

The ferry service, a demand of people of the region for long, has not been introduced despite commitments by successive governments.

Officials of BIWTA and Roads and Highways department here say they can introduce the service from Ilisha in Bhola to Majuchowdhurir Hut in Laxmipur if higher authorities decide.

This will also reduce the distance from Khulna to Chittagong by about 330 kilometres, sources say.

Now, to go to Chittagong from Barisal, one has to go to Bhola by road and then avail a risky river journey from Ilisha (in Bhola) to Laxmipur by BIWTA sea-truck and then have a road journey to Chittagong. The tedious journey takes over 12 hours.

The river journey in sea truck and small launches from Ilisha to Laxmipur through the Meghna estuary is very risky, except during winter when the river remains relatively calm.

Now, people from Barisal and Khulna usually go to Chittagong by road via Dhaka, covering about 600 kilometers. They also travel via Chandpur, using two river routes.

BITWA however provides a direct Barisal-Chittagong steamer service but it takes over 30 hours and is mostly irregular, passengers say.

To reduce the Barisal-Chittagong road distance, the present government renovated the roads from Barisal to Ilisha and introduced ferry services from Barisal to Charkawa on the Kirtonkhola river and from Bheduria to Bhola on the Meghna river.

The roadway communication from Barisal to Ilisha became popular after introduction of the ferry services.

But the risky journey from Ilisha to Laxmipur refrain many, particularly traders, to use the route. Only one IWTA sea truck now plies the route, which often sails overloaded. Merchandise can not be transported through sea truck.

A high official of the R & H department seeking anonymity told this correspondent that they could introduce Ro-Ro ferry service in the Ilisha-Laxmipur route if the higher authorities decide.

Some ferries, used in the Aricha-Nagarbari route earlier, can be used in the Ilisha-Lazmipur route following construction of the Jamuna Bridge, he said. "We have also pontoons for use in terminals".

A Ro-Ro ferry will take about half an hour to cross the distance, he said.

During Awami League rule, former minister Tofael Ahmed who hails from Bhola had told this correspondent that his government had a plan to introduce ferry service in the Ilisha-Laxmipur route. Few months back, BNP leader and State Minister for Religious Affairs told this correspondent that his government was trying to introduce a ferry service in the route. But nothing has been done so far.

Ebaidul Huq Chan, president of Barisal Chamber and Commerce and Industries, said introduction of ferry service in Bhola-Laxmipur route will give a big boost to economic activities in the southern district as it will reduce the cost and travel time to Chittagong from southern districts and Knulna by half.