About 600 buses and goods-laden trucks were stuck on both sides of the route
The ferry services on the Mawa-Kawrakandi route was disrupted yesterday due to a strong current in the Padma river and the operation of one of the roll-on/roll-off (ro-ro) ghats stopped.

Sources said there were only four of 16 ferries plying on the route while yesterday was the 15th day of this condition.

Consequently, about 600 buses and goods-laden trucks were stuck on both sides of the route and thousands of passengers were suffering from the stagnant situation.

It was learnt that ro-ro ferry is capable of plying in strong currents and it also can carry comparatively more vehicles than ordinary ones, ghat or platform of which on the Mawa side fell victim to river erosion on August 19, resulting in the authorities concerned to stop the service.

Although the workers afterwards began the operation of the new ro-ro ghat there, several days ago the authorities stopped it after it developing a crack on the newly-built platform due to the unbridled erosion.

Bangladesh Inland and Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) Assistant Manager Sirajul Islam said the crisis could continue as long as the upstream water does not come to a halt. However, the manager was hopeful that the problem will end within a couple of days.

Bangladesh Inland and Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) Deputy Director Abdus Salam said the workers were trying their best to build a new ro-ro ferry ghat as well as an approach road to it as early as possible.

When asked, the deputy director could not state any time-frame of returning normalcy to the ferry service.

dhakatribune