Passenger trawler capsize on rise

Suspension of ferry services on Bhola-Laxmipur route

Thousands of passengers are compelled to cross the mighty River Meghna with life risk by trawlers everyday due to suspension of ferry services on Bhola-Laxmipur route for the last one week.
Two people went missing after two trawlers were capsized in the River Meghna with 27 passengers near Ilisha ferry ghat area on September 2 and 7. The missing are yet to be traced. They are identified as Jahangir,30, of Rajapur and Shajahn, 40, of Ilisha.
Sources said thousands of passengers and goods loaded trucks of 16 southern districts including, Bhola, Barisal, Patuakhali, Jhalakathi, Pirojpur, Bagerhat, Khulna and Barguna districts use the route for easy transportation and  connecting with Dhaka, Chittagong, Comilla and Sylhet districts.
But due to continuous erosion of the River Meghna the ferry terminal of Ilisha in Bhola sadar was eroded three times during the last two months and the ferry services on were suspended three times.
At last the ferry terminal in Ilisha ‘Bishaw road’ area was eroded into the River Meghna on September 2. As result, thousands of passengers are compelled to use small trawlers to cross the river everyday. Following the upcoming Eid-Ul-Azha Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) and Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) jointly decided to resume the ferry services on the route through Bedhuria ferry terminal till the construction of a new ferry terminal on the river bank of Meghna of Rajapur or Ilisha of Bhola sadar is completed.
But it takes three to four hours more time to cross the river said the Mizanur Rahman the chairman of BIWTC. Siddiqur Rahman, Executive Engineer of Local Government and Engineering (LGED) Bhola said they prepared a project for construction of a 2.5 kilometer connecting road in Ilisha -Rajapur for construction a new ferry terminal at cost of Tk 12 crore. He added that if government accepts the project, he will send it to the Ministry for approval.
Thousands of traders and passengers of southern districts urged to the government to take initiative to construction of a new ferry ghat in Ilisha or Rajapur of Bhola sadar for easy transportation of passengers and goods.

Passenger trawler capsize on rise

Suspension of ferry services on Bhola-Laxmipur route

Thousands of passengers are compelled to cross the mighty River Meghna with life risk by trawlers everyday due to suspension of ferry services on Bhola-Laxmipur route for the last one week. Two people went missing after two trawlers were capsized in the River Meghna with 27 passengers near Ilisha ferry ghat area on September 2 and 7. The missing are yet to be traced. They are identified as Jahangir,30, of Rajapur and Shajahn, 40, of Ilisha. Sources said thousands of passengers and goods loaded trucks of 16 southern districts including, Bhola, Barisal, Patuakhali, Jhalakathi, Pirojpur, Bagerhat, Khulna and Barguna districts use the route for easy transportation and connecting with Dhaka, Chittagong, Comilla and Sylhet districts. But due to continuous erosion of the River Meghna the ferry terminal of Ilisha in Bhola sadar was eroded three times during the last two months and the ferry services on were suspended three times. At last the ferry terminal in Ilisha Bishaw road area was eroded into the River Meghna on September 2. As result, thousands of passengers are compelled to use small trawlers to cross the river everyday. Following the upcoming Eid-Ul-Azha Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) and Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) jointly decided to resume the ferry services on the route through Bedhuria ferry terminal till the construction of a new ferry terminal on the river bank of Meghna of Rajapur or Ilisha of Bhola sadar is completed. But it takes three to four hours more time to cross the river said the Mizanur Rahman the chairman of BIWTC. Siddiqur Rahman, Executive Engineer of Local Government and Engineering (LGED) Bhola said they prepared a project for construction of a 2.5 kilometer connecting road in Ilisha -Rajapur for construction a new ferry terminal at cost of Tk 12 crore. He added that if government accepts the project, he will send it to the Ministry for approval. Thousands of traders and passengers of southern districts urged to the government to take initiative to construction of a new ferry ghat in Ilisha or Rajapur of Bhola sadar for easy transportation of passengers and goods.