Covid Lockdown: No govt, pvt vehicles to be allowed on ferries
Except those engaged in emergency services, no public or private vehicle would be allowed on ferries, said Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) yesterday.
Seeking anonymity, a BIWTC official said that the decision was made as VIPs, who are travelling amid the "strict lockdown", ask field officers for ferry transportation.
"We become helpless when we get phone calls to allow the VIPs [to cross the rivers]. Common people also cash in on the opportunity," the official said.
In a circular, BIWTC said transportation of all sorts of public and private vehicles is suspended as per a government decision.
"Only the goods laden vehicles, ambulance, and government transport on emergency services will be transported," reads the circular.
The circular came at a time when officials reported a record 212 deaths and 11,324 new cases of Covid yesterday.
The country saw a rise in the number of Covid-19 cases after Eid. Against this backdrop, the government enforced a strict lockdown from July 1 for seven days. It was later extended to July 14.
During the Eid-ul-Fitr, ferry terminals in Paturia and Daulatdia of Manikganj and Mawa of Munshiganj saw massive crowds of homebound people. Despite the suspension of ferry services, thousands of people were seen crowding at Paturia Ferry Terminal in Manikganj.
Sources said since July 1, people in their private cars gathered at ferry terminals mostly in the early morning and at night.
People who do not have cars are also crossing the river on ferries but the number is insignificant compared to other times, an official said.
A BIWTC official said, "People get angry at us if we don't let them get on ferries. We're unarmed civilians. What can we do?"
He urged law enforcers to prevent people from reaching the ferry terminals. "If they do this, there will not be any more crowd at the terminal," he said.
Contacted, Secretary of Ministry of Shipping Mohammed Mezbah Uddin Chowdhury said, "We'll give directives to the local administration to take steps to prevent people from coming to the ferry terminal."
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