No overload allowed in vessels during Eid

The district administration recently held a meeting with officials of the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority and representatives of the Launch Owners’ Association, law enforcement agencies, and the river police to discuss about ensuring the safety of Eid special vessels and passengers.
 The meeting was presided over by Barisal DC Gazi Md. Saifuzaman. It was attended by DC BMP (South) Golam Abdur Rauf, additional police commissioner Md Anisur Rahman, and ADC education Kazi Hosne Ara.
It concluded with a decision to conduct round-the-clock mobile surveillance in river and port areas during Eid-ul-Fitr to ensure complete safety of passengers.
Gazi Md. Saifuzaman highlighted 23 steps to be taken, including ceasing the practice of plying goods-laden cargo and sand-laden boats three days before and after Eid.
The meeting also decided that the number of passengers will not be allowed to exceed the upper limit on any vessels during the Eid vacation from June 30 to July 11. The river police, with the help of Rover Scouts, BNCC, and Girls Guides will control the law and order situation in ghat areas. A vigilance team set up by the administration will be given monitoring duties. A special medical team will also be operating in the terminal area.
The meeting has further ordered fishermen not to place nets in any river during Eid.  A similar meeting was held with road transport owners and workers to decide upon steps to ensure safety during bus journey.  
Md. Mustafizur Rahman, BIWTA deputy director and port officer of the Barisal river port, said the BIWTA will not allow passenger overloading  in the vessels. If any passenger  is found on the roof of a launch, the launch authorities will have to face the mobile court. The captain certificate of the launch will be cancelled and route permit will be suspended.
Meanwhile, 12-day-long Eid special triple-deck private launch services on the Barisal-Dhaka-Barisal route will begin on June 30 in Dhaka and on July 11 in Barisal, with a 'festival fare' rate that is higher than the one during the normal period. Special measures have been taken this year on account of the predicted heavy rainfall during Eid.
BIWTA source said that 22 vessels will ply on the Dhaka-Barisal river route during Eid, including a two-day service from June 30 to July 11 with double trips. Besides, four more triple-deck vessels will travel to Jhalakathi, Barguna and Patuakhali from Barisal port every day. River traffic police and coastguard teams have been deployed to ensure the safety and security of the water transport passengers and vessels, the sources added. Passengers of  private triple-deck water transports have to pay 20-25 per cent higher special 'festival fare': Tk. 1,200 for a first class single cabin seat, Tk. 2,200 for double, Tk. 6,500 for VIP, Tk. 3,000 for family, Tk.4,500 for Soukhin,  Tk.800 for a sofa, and Tk. 300 for a deck seat.
Md. Mustafizur Rahman, also the deputy director (river safety and traffic management) of the BIWTA Barisal office, said that the port authorities have completed safe berthing facilities at the ports by arranging special jetty, and opening extra passenger sheds and transport places.

No overload allowed in vessels during Eid

The district administration recently held a meeting with officials of the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority and representatives of the Launch Owners Association, law enforcement agencies, and the river police to discuss about ensuring the safety of Eid special vessels and passengers. The meeting was presided over by Barisal DC Gazi Md. Saifuzaman. It was attended by DC BMP (South) Golam Abdur Rauf, additional police commissioner Md Anisur Rahman, and ADC education Kazi Hosne Ara. It concluded with a decision to conduct round-the-clock mobile surveillance in river and port areas during Eid-ul-Fitr to ensure complete safety of passengers. Gazi Md. Saifuzaman highlighted 23 steps to be taken, including ceasing the practice of plying goods-laden cargo and sand-laden boats three days before and after Eid. The meeting also decided that the number of passengers will not be allowed to exceed the upper limit on any vessels during the Eid vacation from June 30 to July 11. The river police, with the help of Rover Scouts, BNCC, and Girls Guides will control the law and order situation in ghat areas. A vigilance team set up by the administration will be given monitoring duties. A special medical team will also be operating in the terminal area. The meeting has further ordered fishermen not to place nets in any river during Eid. A similar meeting was held with road transport owners and workers to decide upon steps to ensure safety during bus journey. Md. Mustafizur Rahman, BIWTA deputy director and port officer of the Barisal river port, said the BIWTA will not allow passenger overloading in the vessels. If any passenger is found on the roof of a launch, the launch authorities will have to face the mobile court. The captain certificate of the launch will be cancelled and route permit will be suspended. Meanwhile, 12-day-long Eid special triple-deck private launch services on the Barisal-Dhaka-Barisal route will begin on June 30 in Dhaka and on July 11 in Barisal, with a festival fare rate that is higher than the one during the normal period. Special measures have been taken this year on account of the predicted heavy rainfall during Eid. BIWTA source said that 22 vessels will ply on the Dhaka-Barisal river route during Eid, including a two-day service from June 30 to July 11 with double trips. Besides, four more triple-deck vessels will travel to Jhalakathi, Barguna and Patuakhali from Barisal port every day. River traffic police and coastguard teams have been deployed to ensure the safety and security of the water transport passengers and vessels, the sources added. Passengers of private triple-deck water transports have to pay 20-25 per cent higher special festival fare: Tk. 1,200 for a first class single cabin seat, Tk. 2,200 for double, Tk. 6,500 for VIP, Tk. 3,000 for family, Tk.4,500 for Soukhin, Tk.800 for a sofa, and Tk. 300 for a deck seat. Md. Mustafizur Rahman, also the deputy director (river safety and traffic management) of the BIWTA Barisal office, said that the port authorities have completed safe berthing facilities at the ports by arranging special jetty, and opening extra passenger sheds and transport places.