Ferry fiasco
For thousands of people returning to Dhaka from 21 southern and south-western districts after having spent the Eid vacation, Tuesday midnight was nothing short of nightmarish. When they reached Kathalbari Ferry Ghat after a six-hour long bus journey to cross the Padma en route to Dhaka, they learned that most of the ferries were not operating because of lack of navigability due to siltation.
Instead of 21 regular ferries, authorities had to run five ferries that carried only lightweight vehicles and passengers. Even on a regular day, it would result in a mess. It goes without saying that Eid season is the worst time for such a fiasco to happen because during this period traffic activity in such Ferry terminals increases greatly. Unfortunately, according to the passengers, it happens every year.
Officials of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) said that they started dredging from September 2 but could not complete it due to strong currents, whereas disruption to ferry transportation had started from August 31. And as such the authorities should have conducted dredging beforehand to avoid such a situation.
Even after authorities had realised that they could not continue normal ferry operations, they did nothing to inform the passengers about it except issuing a press release. They could have easily contacted local road transport operators and companies and urged passengers through them to use alternative routes to reach Dhaka.
Over the years, going home to spend Eid vacation and then coming back to Dhaka has been hazardous, risky and, of course, inconvenient. The concerned authorities must be prepared and well-resourced to handle the increased flow of people during Eid vacations so that the journeys are made smoother.
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