Published on 12:00 AM, December 16, 2018

Shimulia Ferry Ghat: Hundreds suffer in tailbacks

Over 500 vehicles created a tailback approaching the Shimulia ferry terminal in Munshiganj yesterday, with people travelling south to take advantage of a three-day holiday. Passengers in cars, covered vans and trucks faced difficulty; authorities admitted that the ferry service was understaffed and operating below capacity. Photo: Star

Hundreds of passengers had to go through immense sufferings in the long queue of vehicles at Shimulia ferry Ghat since Friday morning.

Over 500 vehicles, mostly buses, heading towards the terminal, were seen stuck in long tailbacks till filing of this report at 12:30am yesterday as a huge number of city dwellers were going home on the three-day vacation.

A total of 15 ferries, including two Ro-Ro ferries, were plying non-stop since morning, but it did not help normalise the traffic congestion, said Barkat Ullah, assistant general manager of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation.

The rush of people heading for the southern districts has increased to a large extent thanks to the three-day holiday weekend, he added.

“The authorities are trying to normalise the situation,” said Arman Hossain, sub-inspector of Mawa Naval Police Outpost.

The pressure started mounting since Thursday night, he added.