Risky river journey in coastal areas

Risky journey by small launches and trawlers continues on different routes in the coastal areas of the district during the ongoing stormy period, defying a yearly government ban.

Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority earlier issued an order, banning plying of water transports less than 65 feet long in the coastal routes for seven months from March 15 to October 15 every year, as the area is regarded as 'danger zone' during the 'period of storms'.

But a section of influential people are running the vessels to transport people to and from coastal islands in Patuakhali and a large number of people have to take the risky ride as the authorities concerned have not arranged any alternative for their safe movement, especially with upazila headquarters and the district town.

Small trawlers and mechanised boats ply at least 15 routes to communicate with over 100 coastal islands in the district, including Rangabali, Char Montaj, Moudubi, Char Kazol, Ulania, Char Biswas, Koralia, Chalitabunia, Panpatti, Char Hadi, Char Chandra Dweep, Char Barret and Char Shahjalal.

All five unions Rangabali, Char Montaj, Borobaishdia, Chotobaishdia and Chalitabunia under Rangabali upazila are separated from the main land and about 80,000 people of these unions have to use small trawlers to communicate with Patuakhali district headquarters.

Panpatti to Koralia route is the busiest route in the area where two small (each about 40 feet long) trawlers run regularly to carry people across the Agunmukha river in Galachipa upazila.

“I work in a non-government educational institution and have to cross the river by trawler with risk as there is no alternative to reach my workplace,” said Md Shahjahan, 52, of Chalitabunia village.

Abu Musa, a resident of Rangabali upazila town, said often he has to go to nearby Galachipa town or Patuakhali town by crossing the river by trawler amid risk.

The authorities should arrange big launches or sea trucks on different coastal routes during the disaster-prone season for safety of the passengers, he said.

Visiting the areas, this correspondent found that there is hardly any life saving equipment like life jackets on the passenger carrying trawlers.

Earlier, incidents of trawler and launch capsize led to casualties on different routes in the district.

This correspondent contacted the driver of a passenger carrying trawler that plies Panpatti-Koralia route but he declined to make any comment when asked about the risky act in defiance of a government ban.

However, his assistant, seeking anonymity, said, “We run trawlers on the route by managing all concerned.”  

Khwaja Sadiqur Rahman, assistant director of Patuakhali river port office, said, “We stopped plying of small (less than 65 feet long) watercraft during the disaster-prone period when cautionary signal is effective in the area. Often we conduct drives to check plying of such unsafe modes of transport.”