People return to workplaces risking life

As the Eid vacation ended, people of the district returning to their workplaces are crossing Meghna River in risky small water vessels due to crisis of transportation.
According to BIWTC, a seven-month-long restriction on plying of passenger vessels was imposed from March 15 and so only sea-truck services were allowed on Bhola-Laxmipur route. Among the three sea trucks, ST Khijir-7 was plying from Bhola to Laxmipur, ST Khijir-8 from Barisal to Laxmipur and ST Khijir-5 from Daulatkhan to Alexander of Laxmipur.

At this, a large number of Bhola people, who work in Chittagong, Dhaka, Comilla and other south-western districts, had no alternatives to going by risky small water transports like trawlers or engine powered country boats.
Although the sea-trucks doubled their capacities, it was not sufficient to ease the crowd.
Khairul Alam, a passenger who works in Chittagong, said although they came to celebrate the festival with family, the sufferings during the return have spoiled all the joy of Eid. He demanded doubling the services during the ban period.