Passenger vehicles use ferry services at Paturia-Daulatdia terminals despite lockdown

Passengers and all kinds of vehicles including motorcycles, private cars and microbuses have been crossing Paturia-Daulatdia ferry terminals since this morning in violation of the lockdown.

When asked why they went out during the lockdown, many passengers said they left the house for urgent work and would not have gone out otherwise, reports our Manikganj correspondent.

Yasmin, returning from Meherpur told The Daily Star that she started for Dhaka with her two children at 10pm yesterday and reached the Daulatdia ghat at midnight. Even after waiting the entire night, they could not get on the ferry.

This has been the case for many people rushing to return to Dhaka on the eve of the 14-day lockdown that is being enforced from today.

"My home is in Rajbari district. I have a job interview therefore, I am forced to go out in this situation," said a passenger named Abdul Haque.

"I work for a private company. The owner told me to come back, If not, there will be no job. Where will I go with my family if I lose my job, what will I eat?" said another passenger named Sadi Mohammad.

Apart from public transport, private vehicles were also seen crowding the ferry ghat.

"In addition to the vehicles carrying emergency goods, patients and many others are using ferry service. However, other vehicles including passengers arrived at Paturia Ghat from Daulatdia Ghat in Rajbari till noon," said Tania Sultana additional superintendent of police (Shibalaya circle).

"These vehicles were stuck at Daulatdia Ghat since last night. They have been permitted to cross the ferry for humanitarian reasons," she said.

"According to the government order, the ferry has been kept ready for emergency service vehicles. However, some passengers and other vehicles are also boarding the ferry along with the emergency service vehicles. They were not asked to disembark due to humanitarian reasons," said Zillur Rahman, deputy general manager of the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) Aricha regional office.