BIWTC relents, resumes ferry service  amid countrywide ‘lockdown’

Failing to control the increasing pressure of the homebound people, the BIWTC authority has finally resumed ferry operations in all terminals to ensure smooth carrying of the passengers to their destinations. The ferry service on Banglabazar-Shimulia route resumed on Monday.
Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) Banglabazar Ghat Manager Salahuddin gave the announcement of resuming the ferry operation after getting clearance from higher authority.
While talking to media, Salauddin said, "Stranded perishable goods started rotting in the ghat. The higher authorities decided to resume the ferry services on the route. All kinds of ferry will ply on the route now. So, homebound poeple can move without any hindrance."
Seeing a mad rush of homebound people ahead
of Eid, BIWTC on Friday night suspended daytime ferry services on Paturia-Daulatdia and Shimulia-Banglabazar routes from Saturday morning.
Only ambulance carrying patients or dead bodies was permitted to avail the ferry service.
On Monday noon, BIWTC official of Shimulia Ghat Ahmmed Ali gave the announcement of resuming the ferry operation following sufferings of thousands of homebound passengers and increasing pressure of passengers at Shimulia-Banglabazar Ghat ignoring the travel restrictions amid lockdown.
BIWTC official of Shimulia Ghat Ahmmed Ali said numbers of ambulances with bodies gathered at the ghat for crossing on the ferry. A large number of holidaymakers were also waiting there. To carry the ambulances and waiting people along with their vehicles, the ferry operation resumed.
Jamuna IT-395 ferry left the ghat at about 10:20am with ambulances. Those who failed to get into the ferry started gathering at number 3 ghat. Finally, the authority was compelled to carry them.
As the risk of spreading new variants of coronavirus looms large in the country, ferry services have been suspended at the Shimulia Ferry Terminal in Munshiganj.       
When the ferries anchored at the terminals to take ambulances and dead body carrying vehicles, hundreds of people forcibly boarded the ferries, said Lauhajang Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md Humayun Kabir.
It is not possible for the authorities to intercept this huge crowd, he said.
The authorities were supposed to allow only ambulances and vehicles carrying patients and the dead, but people -- on their way to their village homes -- who reached the terminal via whatever vehicle they could avail, boarded the ferry ignoring all restrictions.
Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) members were seen discharging their duties one km off the Shimulia ghat, but passengers were rushing through various routes.
Police put barricade on Dhaka-Mawa Highway and were seen refusing vehicles trying to reach the ghat. Hundreds of passengers were seen waiting at the ghat at 1:00pm today.
Md Hilal Uddin, Inspector of Mawa Traffic Police, said goods-laden vehicles were allowed to cross the river till 6:30am today.
One of the ferries with ambulances and dead body carrying vehicles left Shimulia Ghat around 7:15am.
Hundreds of goods-laden vehicles are now waiting at Shimulia to cross the river, he added Safayat Ahmed, Manager (commerce) of BIWTC Shimulia Ghat, said the ferry operation continued as per the decision immediately taken by local administration and police amid huge crowds at the terminal. People cannot be barred from coming to the terminal, he added. If the ferries are not operated, there would be even bigger crowds at the terminal, he said.