Motor-launches and speedboats crossing the Padma on the Mawa-Kewrakandi route were being disrupted due to adverse weather.
The vessels were twice stopped from plying the rough currents though only cautionary signal 2 had been issued, Md Mohiuddin Ahmed of BIWTA’s Mawa office told bdnews24.com on Saturday.
But the services were resumed around 2:30pm after they were stopped twice — once at 12:45 pm and again on 1:45 pm, he said.
“A storm started 15 minutes after we told them to resume services. They began operating from 2:30pm after the storm ended.”
There was a huge rush on the southern route as people were travelling back after Eid and Puja holidays.
Many passengers were stranded in the rain on both the banks after launch and speedboat services were stopped, even though ferries were still operating.
The central and southern regions of Bangladesh were experiencing rain and gusty wind with Cyclone Hudhud advancing across the Bay of Bengal.
While the cyclone itself is heading towards India, the Met office said squally weather would continue to affect the North Bay and the maritime ports.
Most of those stranded were at Madaripur’s Kewrakandi.
Madaripur Deputy Commissioner GSM Jafrulla said the administration was trying to get them across on ferries as fast as possible.
Some of the passengers were afraid to get on the small launches and speedboats because of strong currents. The sinking of launch Pinak-6 overloaded with people returning after last Eid added to fears.
They were crowding ferries, seen as relatively safer.
There were 17 ferries at work but not enough to clear the rush, said BIWTC Assistant General Manager SM Ashikuzzaman.
More than 300 vehicles were waiting at Kewrakandi, he said. Three long lines of vehicles, almost a kilometer long, were trailing out of the terminal towards Barkhandi of Shibchar Upazila in the afternoon.
Launches and speedboats usually take passengers beyond their capacity but the presence of a monitoring team led by a magistrate at Kewrakandi led to exercise of restraint.
But people have complained saying they were paying more to cross the river.
“We have had complaints that speedboats were taking Tk 200 instead of Tk 120, the rate set by the government. The launches too have been asking for more,” said Mawa BIWTA Traffic Inspector Riyadh Hossain.
“We’re looking into the matter. We’ll take action once we find proof.”
Those who have crossed and reached Mawa were said to have been paying more for bus tickets.
Source: bdnews24
