Ilisha-Laxmipur route
Vehicles remain stranded for want of ferries
Our Correspondent, Bhola
Several hundred vehicles, including trucks and buses, operating on Dhaka, Chittagong and Camilla routes from Bhola have been stranded at Ilisha ferry terminal on one side of the river Meghna and Mojhuchawdhury Haat on the other side over the past four days due to shortage of ferry. Sources said four ferries are needed on Bhola- Laxmipur route for transportation of trucks loaded with potato, green vegetables and watermelon from Bhola to other parts of the country in this peak harvesting time. But one ferry is now operating on the route over the past four days as the other one has remained anchored for mechanical fault. Watermelon trader Babul Mia, of Charfassion, said he loaded watermelon worth about Tk 10 lakh into a truck now stranded at the terminal for three days. The watermelons have now started rotting. It is also found that most of the trucks stranded at the ferry terminal are loaded with perishable goods. While contacted Abu Alam, manager of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) at the Ilisha ferry terminal, acknowledged the shortage of ferry saying he is trying to get more ferries for the route.
