Ferry services resume on Daulatdia-Paturia route

Ferry services have resumed along the Daulatdia-Paturia route after an overnight suspension caused by heavy fog.

The services returned to normal around 9:00 am on Sunday as visibility improved, according to Md Salahuddin, manager of the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) at Daulatdia.

Ferry services on the Daulatdia-Paturia route were suspended at 10:30 pm on Saturday as the authorities sought to prevent accidents amid thick fog. The shutdown left several vehicles stranded at the jetties.

Trucks carrying goods made up the bulk of the backlog, while passengers and drivers endured the night in biting cold, waiting for the fog to thin out and ferry services to resume, reports bdnews24.com.

Ratan Mia, a driver for Rabeya Paribahan who departed from Rajbari, expressed his frustration over the delays.

“I have been sitting at the pier since morning. Passengers are growing impatient after waiting for hours. A bridge on this route is necessary to ease our suffering.”

Amjad Hossain, a bus passenger, recounted a sleepless night.

“I couldn’t sleep at night as the bus was supposed to arrive at 4:00 am. After reaching here in the morning, I got to know that ferry services were closed. I have been waiting since.”

He added, “There are many others like me trying to get back to work, but we have no idea when we’ll be able to cross the river.”

Shobuj Mollah, a truck driver from Jashore, said: “I have been sitting at the pier since 10pm and spent the entire night in my truck. Every winter, ferry services shut down due to fog, leaving drivers and passengers stranded. Authorities should find a way to keep ferries running even in low visibility.”

Salahuddin said, “Fog began settling in on Saturday evening, and by 10:30 pm, the river route was no longer visible. Some vehicles were stranded when ferry services were suspended, but they are now reaching their destinations as conditions improve.”