The launch service on Mawa-Kawrakandi and Mawa-Majhikandi routes remained halted since Saturday morning as launch owners enforced an indefinite strike, demanding action against unauthorised launches plying on the routes.
Witnesses said no launch arrived at the terminals since morning, forcing many passengers from nearby areas to reschedule their trips amid the uncertainty.
Speedboats were also unavailable.
Vice-president of Mawa-Kawrakandi Launch Owners’ Association Iqbal Hossain alleged that an unauthorised launch, ‘Shah Paran’, along with 200 passengers arrived at Mawa Ghat from Kawrakandi in the morning.
He said some terrorists, hired by the ‘Shah Paran’ owner, attacked the supervisors at Mawa Ghat as they refused to receive the launch at the ghat.
“Later, we suspended the plying of all kinds of launch protesting the attack,’’ said Iqbal Hossain.
Iqbal warned that the strike will continue until the administration decides to close the operation of Shah Paran.
Contacted, Traffic Inspector of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) Akhter Hossain said there is no route permit for Shah Paran. “If this launch continues to operate on the route, other unauthorised launches will try to take the advantage,” he added.
Source: UNBConnect
