Ferry services halted to reduce risk of Covid-19 transmission

Ferry services halted to reduce risk of Covid-19 transmission

In a bid to reduce the risk of Covid-19 transmission across the country, Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) has stopped the ferry services on the Paturia-Daulatdia route.

Disregarding government directives, thousands of people had been travelling to their hometown to celebrate Eid-ul-fitr.

BIWTC took the decision to halt ferry services from 11am Monday.

Zillur Rahman, deputy manager of BIWTC, Aricha said: “Following the decision of halting services, the ferries are being stationed in the middle of the river for now. Those will be brought to the ghats [port] when the ferry service is resumed.”

Superintendent of Manikganj police Rifat Rahman Shamim said: “Despite public transport being shut down, people could not be stopped from travelling. At 10am Sunday a check-post was set up on the Dhaka-Aricha highway at Golra area of Manikganj to prevent vehicles from going to the ferry ghats.”

“All vehicles except emergency transports were sent back from the check-post. People still managed to reach the ferry ghat. BIWTC then decided to halt ferry services altogether,” he added.

After the situation is brought under control, the ferries will resume for transportation of perishable and emergency goods.

Right now about 200 private cars and 300 goods laden trucks are waiting to cross the river through the busy over-crowded ferries.

Zillur Rahman said out of the total 15 ferries on the Paturia-Daulatdia route, only 5-7 ferries were operating to carry emergency goods laden vehicles.

As private cars were not allowed to cross the river, enraged drivers and passengers attacked and vandalized counter number 5 of the ferry ghat, he added.