LACK OF SAFETY EQUIPMENT

Chandpur boat passengers travel in fear

“We can’t afford life-saving jackets. Allah will save us, Inshallah,” said Khalil, a veteran boatman, at a ghat in Chandpur. He was echoed by two other boatmen, Kalam and Mohabbat, at Puran Bazar and Boro Station ghats of Chandpur district town.
Hundreds of people everyday visit Puran Bazar, a well-known commercial place since the British period, in Chandpur district town (in Chandpur Sadar upazila) for various kinds of work—for their jobs, in connection with cases relating to land disputes, for buying goods, for treatment in clinics and hospitals, and for admitting their sons and daughters to schools and colleges in Chandpur district town. They come and go back home on trawlers or motorised country boats. More often than not, these trawlers and boats carry passengers, cattle and agricultural commodities, such as vegetables, above their capacity. There are no buoys or life-saving jackets for passengers on the motorised boats.
Accidents occur quite frequently. A few months ago, a boatman named Sadim Mia (29) from Bangla Bazar area fell off his trawler at the confluence of the Meghna and Dakatia rivers near Chandpur town. There were high currents and turbulence in the river, and his body could not be retrieved.
Again, a cargo ship, MV Chitolmari, carrying 1,300 metric tonnes of cement, sank after colliding with another cargo ship, MV Hikmat, in rough weather a few months ago.
Chandpur assistant port officer Md Quamruzzaman told this correspondent: “We can keep watch on the big engine-run boats and trawlers which carry passengers as much as possible, and ask them to keep life jackets at the river ghats of the Chandpur port. But we have no control over the big boats that are beyond our jurisdiction.”
The local Inland Water Transport Authority (IWTA), too, is hardly bothered about these aspects of safety. People travel by these trawlers and motorised boats in great fear, especially during the rainy season.
People from the neighbouring upazilas—Bhederganj, Shokhipur, Ghosairhat and  Damudda of adjacent Shariatpur district—too come to Puran Bazar and Chandpur district town on motorised boats or trawlers to buy goods, for treatment, and to trade.
Chandpur district town is surrounded by many char lands, most of which are to the west of Sadar upazila. The Meghna and Padma flow between these char areas and Chandpur district town.
The distance from these char areas to Chandpur district town is about eight to 10 km. Lakhs of people who live here cultivate seasonal crops. There are many local haats and bazaars, primary and high schools, madrasas and other government and non-governmental institutions in these areas. Raj Rajeswar, Loggimara, Bolasia, Mollar Bazar, Tarabunia, Alur Bazar, Bangla Bazar, Shaheb Bazar, Char Meyasha, Gaurangar Bazar, Eshan Bala Bazar, Eidgah Bazar, Nuru Majhir Bazar, Bepary Bazar, Jalalpur and Chairman Ghat are some of the bazaars and ghats in char areas under Chandpur Sadar upazila.
Sumi Begum, Masuma and her classmates from Raj Rajeswar and Shokhipur areas told this correspondent that they cannot attend college everyday because of inclement weather and turbulence in the Meghna during the rainy season. Many schoolteachers in the Raj Rajeswar union area, located to the west of Chandpur Sadar, face similar problems.

LACK OF SAFETY EQUIPMENT

Chandpur boat passengers travel in fear

We cant afford life-saving jackets. Allah will save us, Inshallah, said Khalil, a veteran boatman, at a ghat in Chandpur. He was echoed by two other boatmen, Kalam and Mohabbat, at Puran Bazar and Boro Station ghats of Chandpur district town. Hundreds of people everyday visit Puran Bazar, a well-known commercial place since the British period, in Chandpur district town (in Chandpur Sadar upazila) for various kinds of workfor their jobs, in connection with cases relating to land disputes, for buying goods, for treatment in clinics and hospitals, and for admitting their sons and daughters to schools and colleges in Chandpur district town. They come and go back home on trawlers or motorised country boats. More often than not, these trawlers and boats carry passengers, cattle and agricultural commodities, such as vegetables, above their capacity. There are no buoys or life-saving jackets for passengers on the motorised boats. Accidents occur quite frequently. A few months ago, a boatman named Sadim Mia (29) from Bangla Bazar area fell off his trawler at the confluence of the Meghna and Dakatia rivers near Chandpur town. There were high currents and turbulence in the river, and his body could not be retrieved. Again, a cargo ship, MV Chitolmari, carrying 1,300 metric tonnes of cement, sank after colliding with another cargo ship, MV Hikmat, in rough weather a few months ago. Chandpur assistant port officer Md Quamruzzaman told this correspondent: We can keep watch on the big engine-run boats and trawlers which carry passengers as much as possible, and ask them to keep life jackets at the river ghats of the Chandpur port. But we have no control over the big boats that are beyond our jurisdiction. The local Inland Water Transport Authority (IWTA), too, is hardly bothered about these aspects of safety. People travel by these trawlers and motorised boats in great fear, especially during the rainy season. People from the neighbouring upazilasBhederganj, Shokhipur, Ghosairhat and Damudda of adjacent Shariatpur districttoo come to Puran Bazar and Chandpur district town on motorised boats or trawlers to buy goods, for treatment, and to trade. Chandpur district town is surrounded by many char lands, most of which are to the west of Sadar upazila. The Meghna and Padma flow between these char areas and Chandpur district town. The distance from these char areas to Chandpur district town is about eight to 10 km. Lakhs of people who live here cultivate seasonal crops. There are many local haats and bazaars, primary and high schools, madrasas and other government and non-governmental institutions in these areas. Raj Rajeswar, Loggimara, Bolasia, Mollar Bazar, Tarabunia, Alur Bazar, Bangla Bazar, Shaheb Bazar, Char Meyasha, Gaurangar Bazar, Eshan Bala Bazar, Eidgah Bazar, Nuru Majhir Bazar, Bepary Bazar, Jalalpur and Chairman Ghat are some of the bazaars and ghats in char areas under Chandpur Sadar upazila. Sumi Begum, Masuma and her classmates from Raj Rajeswar and Shokhipur areas told this correspondent that they cannot attend college everyday because of inclement weather and turbulence in the Meghna during the rainy season. Many schoolteachers in the Raj Rajeswar union area, located to the west of Chandpur Sadar, face similar problems.