Fall in motor launch passengers

Passengers who had to regularly travel by large and mid-size motor launches between Dhaka's Sadarghat terminal and destinations in six districts under Barisal Division may recall with a sense of great relief the days of their immense sufferings. They had to undergo the ordeal for decades, especially on the Eid holidays, since the start of the motor launch service between Dhaka and the Barisal division districts. All these miseries came to an end after the opening of the long dreamt-of Padma road-cum-rail bridge over one year ago. The 6.15 km bridge connects the two banks of the mighty river linking by road several districts under Barisal, Khulna and Dhaka divisions. Thanks to the Padma Bridge, time of travel between Dhaka and the destinations in these districts, including Faridpur, has been reduced drastically.

That a veritable revolution in travel-time reduction would occur with the construction of the Padma Bridge was implied. It has occurred to the great relief of the people travelling between Dhaka and a number of southwestern and southern districts. The fruits of the complete bridge are set to be enjoyed by the people in the northern and northeastern regions. With the Padma Bridge road communication easing the exhausting river travel between Dhaka and the greater southern districts, a flip side has cropped up. It emerges in the form of hard times that have hit the long-haul motor launch owners who used to operate on routes like Dhaka-Barisal-Dhaka. With the passengers falling drastically, the launches have started bracing for dreadful times ahead. Compared to 8 to 10 hours which would take on Dhaka-Barisal river route previously, passengers can cover the distance in three-and-half hours by travelling across the Padma Bridge and using the highways on its two sides. Except the people in leisurely mood and in love with the river views along the Dhaka-Barisal water route, it's only a handful of passengers who opt for river travels on this route. It's because in the present hectic days, speed in travel matters a lot.

A flipside of the amazing road travels between Dhaka and the southern districts has thus emerged lately. According to a media report, there has been a decline by 30 to 35 per cent passengers on these waterways in the last one year. In consequence, motor launch services doing a thriving business in this waterway segment are fast discovering themselves caught in dire straits. A platform dedicated to stand by people involved in different modes of transport has lately come up to elucidate the plight of the waterway sector. Called the National Committee to Protect Shipping, Roads and Railways or NCPSRR, the platform has cast an in-depth look at the adversities besetting the country's passengers-dominant waterways.

It has found reasons behind the sharp fall in the number of launch passengers. Apart from the highly improved road travel facilities, thanks to the Padma Bridge, there are a few others. These are severe traffic congestions on the roads from three vital points in the city to Sadarghat launch terminal, navigability problems in many water routes, and the presence of the lessees' men as well as terminal workers. They allegedly flaunt their presence in the terminal area. The NCPSRR, has recently disclosed a report containing the summary of its findings. The report has been prepared after scrutinising the information published in different media outlets. It has also taken cognizance of the view-exchanges it held with water vessel and bus owners, workers, passengers and persons belonging to different authorities concerned. The forum has come up with a 7-point recommendation, which, it believes will help 'resolve the problems'.

According to the civic platform, most of the passengers opting for launches as a mode of travel from Dhaka earlier belonged to six districts under Barisal division. Following the inauguration of the Padma Bridge, 21 districts in three southern divisions, including Barisal, have been linked to Dhaka city by road. The road travels proved comfortable. They also took radically shorter time. The journeys resulted in large numbers of people shunning launches and turning to road transports. The civic platform's findings have dealt with the inconveniences the terminal-bound people once faced. Lots of passengers had to reach the Sadarghat launch terminal to board their launches. It had long emerged as a gruelling experience. It was because the roads from Gulistan, the Second Buriganga Bridge or Babubazar Bridge and Shyampur to the terminal remained gridlocked without let-up. Prior to the Padma Bridge opening and the start of the long-distance roads, congestions on these traffic passages were a general scenario.

Besides, humiliations at the hands of the launch crew and the staff at the terminal, and the 'ghat' people, would start haunting the passengers from the very day of the preparations for a river journey. Moreover, allegations were rife during the Eid rush. Those were levelled against a section of lessees. The lessees' men were alleged to have been involved in 'extorting' money from passengers. This terrible situation centring round the terminal had long started prompting a section of river route passengers to switch over to road travels. The Padma Bridge has opened the era of long-distance road travels. For Barisal and other districts-bound passengers, few could have been more auspicious. The facility has brought about a great relief from the miseries plaguing the launch travellers --- bound for river-centred destinations. Moreover, it's speed which rules the roost in every segment of life. In fact speed is the buzzword nowadays, when it comes to travel. It's in accordance with this dictum, bridges across rivers linking roads reign over traditional waterways.

shihabskr@ymail.com