Morelganj people suffer as no bridge on Panguchi River

Bagerhat: The people of Morelganj upazila are going through a tough time for lack of any bridge over the Panguchi River hampering their communications, reports UNB. As there is no bridge over the river, locals have to cross the river in overcrowded boats and trawlers to reach their destinations every day, risking their lives. An over-crowded trawler with over a hundred passengers capsized on March 28, leaving nearly 17 people dead.
Agitated locals have been protesting what they call ‘syndicate’ among boatmen and trawler drivers and their greed in boarding passengers beyond the capacity of any trawler and boat.
Locals say they have to use the river to communicate between Morelganj and its neighbouring upazila, Sarankhola, to reach their destinations.
Both the flow and tides of the Panguchi have increased due to the Indo-Bangla sea protocols applied at the Mongla-Ghashiakhali channel, raising the waves in the process and enhancing the risk for overloaded boats and trawlers during their journeys amid bad weather.
People are forced to opt to cross the river using trawlers as the local ferry does not commute if there are no vehicles - buses and trucks—on it.
Md Delwar Hossain, a teacher at Morrelganj Rawshanara College, boatmen and trawler drivers in the river hardly abide by law when they drive boats. They accommodate over a hundred passengers in one trawler against its maximum capacity of 30.
He said the absence of state-run trawlers is also evident upon investigation, creating a scope for the boatmen and trawler driver syndicate to carry overcrowded boats and trawlers and thus make quick money.
Delwar said a bridge on the river may solve the problems of the local people in many ways.
Echoing Delwar, Fazlul Haque Khokon, a local journalist, said 10-12 thousand passengers use the trawlers every day, but the trawlers are being run by poorly-skilled trawler drivers. “The recent trawler capsize was evident of that,” he said.
Zakir Sheikh, a trawler driver, said he has been driving for the last three years, getting paid only Tk 110 a day. He says that they urge the passengers not to exceed the capacity, but nobody listens to them.
Morelganj Upazila Union Officer Md Obaidur Rahman acknowledged the lack of state-run trawlers, and other allegations, but said a sub-committee will soon be formed to monitor whether the boatmen are carrying passengers beyond their boat capacities, he added.

 

 

Morelganj people suffer as no bridge on Panguchi River

Bagerhat: The people of Morelganj upazila are going through a tough time for lack of any bridge over the Panguchi River hampering their communications, reports UNB. As there is no bridge over the river, locals have to cross the river in overcrowded boats and trawlers to reach their destinations every day, risking their lives. An over-crowded trawler with over a hundred passengers capsized on March 28, leaving nearly 17 people dead. Agitated locals have been protesting what they call syndicate among boatmen and trawler drivers and their greed in boarding passengers beyond the capacity of any trawler and boat. Locals say they have to use the river to communicate between Morelganj and its neighbouring upazila, Sarankhola, to reach their destinations. Both the flow and tides of the Panguchi have increased due to the Indo-Bangla sea protocols applied at the Mongla-Ghashiakhali channel, raising the waves in the process and enhancing the risk for overloaded boats and trawlers during their journeys amid bad weather. People are forced to opt to cross the river using trawlers as the local ferry does not commute if there are no vehicles - buses and truckson it. Md Delwar Hossain, a teacher at Morrelganj Rawshanara College, boatmen and trawler drivers in the river hardly abide by law when they drive boats. They accommodate over a hundred passengers in one trawler against its maximum capacity of 30. He said the absence of state-run trawlers is also evident upon investigation, creating a scope for the boatmen and trawler driver syndicate to carry overcrowded boats and trawlers and thus make quick money. Delwar said a bridge on the river may solve the problems of the local people in many ways. Echoing Delwar, Fazlul Haque Khokon, a local journalist, said 10-12 thousand passengers use the trawlers every day, but the trawlers are being run by poorly-skilled trawler drivers. The recent trawler capsize was evident of that, he said. Zakir Sheikh, a trawler driver, said he has been driving for the last three years, getting paid only Tk 110 a day. He says that they urge the passengers not to exceed the capacity, but nobody listens to them. Morelganj Upazila Union Officer Md Obaidur Rahman acknowledged the lack of state-run trawlers, and other allegations, but said a sub-committee will soon be formed to monitor whether the boatmen are carrying passengers beyond their boat capacities, he added.