Ferry services on Shimulia-Kathalbari route active partly

The ferry services on Shimulia-Kathalbari route in the Padma river under Lauhajang upazila of Munshiganj is active partially as the ferries are plying through a small channel due to poor navigability on a stretch of the river.

Sixteen ferries, out of 21, started running on the route since this morning, reports our Munshiganj correspondent.

The service of Ro-Ro ferry could not be restored yet as the problem of poor navigability was not solved at the Lauhajang channel yet, reports the correspondent quoting Khandaker Shah Khaled Newaz, assistant general manager of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC).

“We cannot provide proper service to the Eid holidaymakers this year as we have only been able to ferry 2,300 vehicles on Saturday after a seven-day disruption, where we used to carry a minimum 5,000 vehicles in a day during Eid,” the official said.   

However, no vehicles were seen stranded at the Shimulia-Kathalbari terminals this morning as the vehicles were taking another route to cross the river.

The onrush of water from upstream had submerged a part of the route at the mouth of Lauhajang turning point three month back, he said.

The crisis of poor navigability has not improved yet although BIWTC started dredging in the area since May, Newaz added.