Rise of hyacinth disturbs ferry service on 2 routes
![Water hyacinth covers a large portion of the Kacha River in Pirojpur district, creating disturbance to ferry services on two routes. PHOTO: STAR](https://tds-images.thedailystar.net/upload/gallery/image/arts/rise-of-hyacinth.jpg)
Ferry services on two routes in the Kacha River in the district are being badly hampered due to alarming increase of water hyacinth in the river.
The situation prevails during this season as water hyacinth coming from the upstream covers the river, ferrymen said.
Around a month ago water hyacinth began to increase in the river and it is likely to continue for the next two months.
Ferries now take two to three times more than the normal time to cross the river, causing vehicles to wait for a long time on the two sides of the river.
Vehicles cross Bekutia-Kumirmara ferry terminal in the river Kacha to go to Khulna and Barisal and Togra-Charkhali ferry terminal in the same river to go to different southern areas including Patuakhali and Barguna.
Visiting the area on Saturday, this correspondent found a large number of vehicles waiting on the two sides of Bekutia-Kumirmara ferry route.
“I got into the ferry after waiting around two hours. Normally we can get into the ferry shortly after coming to the terminal," said truck driver Md Rana who was returning to Jessore from Rajapur in Jhalakathi.
“I have missed two ferries after reaching the terminal as too many vehicles were waiting,” said Masum, a bus driver of Khulna-Barisal road.
“Normally we can cross the river two times in an hour. But now it takes double the time due to increase of water hyacinth in the river,” said Kamal Hossain, a ferry driver of Bekutia-Kumirmara route.
“We face serious problem during this season as water hyacinth increases in the river. As the engine of the ferry is very weak, it becomes difficult to move smoothly in the adverse situation in the river,” said Azmir Hossain Majhi, lessee of Bekutia-Kumirmara ferry terminal.
Around 300-350 vehicles move through Bekutia-Kumirmara route daily, terminal sources said.
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