plying of Eid vessels
Barisal port not yet ready
Staff Reporter, Barisal
Barisal river port has not yet been totally fit for vessel plying during upcoming Eid-ul-Fitr. However, dredging of new shallow water shoals under the river Kirtankhola has been completed.
BIWTA sources claimed that this year Eid special services were scheduled during monsoon.
Minimum 40,000 passengers will be arrive and depart from here during Eid in every night. But the terminal of the port has spaces to accommodate highest 3,000 passengers.
Shortage of rain shed makes the situation abnormal because the launches will not stay here during Eid special services. After unloading the passengers, all the vessels of special services will go back to Dhaka for next trip.
As a result, Eid passengers are bound to get down from the launch after immediately after their arrival.
If rain hits at that time, the passenger must suffer due to shortage of space. It is mentionable, the newly constructed port is not able to face minimum pressure of the regular vessels.
It was damaged 12 times in the last three years by the pressure of launches on the Barisal-Dhaka river route.
Official sources said foundation stone of Barisal river port development and modernisation project at a cost of Tk 17.6 crore was laid by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in 2012.
There are a three-storey modern terminal building on 1554 square metre land, a 1,500 square metre parking yard, 1200 metre steel boundary and retention wall, 714 meter walkway, 1000 square meter cargo shed, 400 square meter transit cargo shed, 120 feet long six pontoon with jetty for modern loading and unloading facilities, four steel gangways, passenger lounge and waiting rooms with health and sanitation facilities, digital display board and announcement facilities, safety and security with police camp, development and maintenances of navigability by regular dredging , beautification of the terminal and adjacent areas of the port.
Abul Bashar Majumdar, deputy director (river safety and traffic) of BIWTA, Barisal, acknowledging the facts said that solar power pannels of the port till not be activated.
He said if electricity fails during
Eid journey, all will face darkness
abnormally.
Majumdar said that Boya and night navigation light need improvement Ar Bamnir Char, Majher Char, Miyar Char and Makbuler Tack point of Barisal-Dhaka river route before Eid.
About 16 triple-decker launches are scheduled for Eid special services on the Barisal-Dhaka route this year.
If the launches depart at a time from Dhaka and arrive here at a time, then it will be difficult to control the situation.
Port official sources said that there are about 80 ghats under Barisal river port but they have no minimum manpower.
Over 40 launches of long route, including eight from Bhandaria to Dhaka, six from Muladi to Dhaka, four from Bhashanchar to Dhaka, four from Kalaiya to Dhaka, will ply during Eid without monitoring.
We have no sufficient manpower to control the over loading in these launches during Eid. We, however, requested the local administration to look after the situation, Majumdar added.
Sarwar Hosen, mastar of a launch named MV Achal, said that they paid Tk 350 every day to the ghat lease holder for anchor here in the paddy field.
