Ferry services on two major routes resume after hours of suspension for fog

The ferry services on Daulatdia-Paturia and Aricha-Kazirhat routes resumed on Monday morning after a disruption caused by dense fog that lasted seven and six hours, respectively, said the authorities.

Passengers on six ferries stranded mid-river suffered immensely during the suspension.

Sources at Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) office in Aricha said the ferry operations were halted on both routes late Sunday night as thick fog blanketed the Padma and Jamuna river basins, as per a UNB report.

The fog intensified, making navigation risky, prompting authorities to suspend operations at Daulatdia from midnight and at Paturia from 12:20am.

Four ferries namely Bir Shrestha Ruhul Amin, Shah Paran, Bir Shrestha Matiur Rahman and the utility ferry Kapoti had to anchor mid-river to avoid accidents.

Meanwhile, more ferries at both terminals Daulatdia and Paturia, also remained stranded.

The ferry services resumed on the Daulatdia-Paturia route around 7 am on Monday bringing relief to over 200 passengers and vehicle drivers who had been stuck in freezing conditions for hours.

Separately, the operations on the Aricha-Kazirhat route were suspended from 1 am to 7 am.

Two ferries Bir Shrestha Hamidur Rahman and Dhansiri were stranded mid-river. Other ferries, including Chitra, Kishani, and Shah Ali were anchored at the Aricha terminal. No ferries were stationed at the Kazirhat terminal during the disruption.

Earlier on Sunday morning, both routes experienced a two-and-a-half-hour suspension due to fog.

The disruption caused long queues of vehicles at the Daulatdia terminal, with over 100 vehicles stranded on the Dhaka-Khulna Highway.

Local resident Shakil Molla narrated how dense fog brought vehicular movement to a standstill and led to traffic congestion stretching two kilometres.

BIWTC’s Deputy General Manager Nasir Mohammad Chowdhury informed that six ferries were stranded mid-river during the suspension, causing inconvenience for passengers and transport operators.