Low passenger turnout at Sadarghat on first day of nationwide blockade

A noticeable decline in passenger traffic at Dhaka's Sadarghat Launch Terminal marked the first day of the 48-hour nationwide blockade declared by the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami.

On Sunday, several launches set sail for various destinations, including Chandpur, Bhola, and Barishal, but five vessels remained docked due to a shortage of passengers, according to ABS Mahmud, a transport inspector at the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority.

It was business as usual on Saturday when 61 launches departed from Sadarghat, and 63 arrived, according to him. However, there was a marked drop in passenger numbers on Sunday morning.

Abul Kalam, chief of Sadarghat River Police Station, assured that the police were actively patrolling the river to guarantee passenger safety throughout their journeys.

The latest nationwide shutdown enforced by the opposition groups comes amid mounting political tensions in the run-up to the 12th national polls.

The BNP, agitating for the government's resignation and elections under a non-partisan caretaker government, had organised a mass rally at Dhaka's Naya Paltan on Oct 28.

The event was marred by deadly clashes with the police, leading the country's largest opposition group to declare a hartal for Oct 29.

They subsequently enforced a nationwide blockad from Oct 31 to Nov 2, with a one-day break. At the end of the shutdown, another 48-hour blockade was announced, slated for Sunday and Monday.

The BNP's call for a blockade has garnered support from like-minded parties, and Jamaat-e-Islami, a long-time ally of the BNP, has initiated a similar programme separately.