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Strong current due to rough weather continued disrupting ferry services on two major routes on the River Padma on Saturday, inflicting miseries to passengers and truckers.
Thousands of passengers to and from the south and south-western districts faced ordeal from Friday to cross the Paturia-Daulatdia and the Shimulia-Kathalbari river routes, reports UNB.
On Paturia-Daulatdia route in Rajbari, launch services have been suspended from 11 am on Saturday as well as ferry services were also being hampered due to the strong current in the River Padma.
According to Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) Aricha office, launch service was halted to avoid any unwanted accidents while ferries were taking about double of its general timing to cross the route due to the bad weather.
"If the weather remains poor till Sunday morning, the launch service will remain halted but if the weather improves then the launch service will resume from 8 am on Sunday," said Assistant Director (Traffic) Faridul Islam of BITWA in Aricha.
At least three hundred vehicles have been stranded at Daulatdia ghat, he added.
A total of 16 ferries were in service in the route, said Abu Abdullah Rony, assistant manager of BIWTC, Daulatdia.
Meanwhile, in Munshiganj, nine among 16 ferries were in service in theShimulia-Kathalbariroute.
Around 600 vehicles were seen stuck in the Shimulia ghat till filing of this report on Saturday night, witnesses said.
Due to heavy current, plying of seven dump ferries were suspended temporarily since Friday night while nine others were in service, said Khandoker Khalid Assistant General Manager of BIWTC Mawa adding that the services will resume once the weather improves.
Water Traffic Inspector of BIWTA Md Soleman said plying of small launches was halted but large ones were commuting to ease the suffering of the passengers.
Due to the disruption, long tailbacks were formed at the ghat area, said officer-in-charge of Mawa River Police outpost Arman Hossain.