The private water vessel owners have initiated a 13-day Eid special launch service on the Dhaka-Barisal-Dhaka route, but with a 25% increased fare.
At least 11 special vessels has hit the water route from the Dhaka end on Thursday to carry the homebound passengers, with 15 such transport vehicles ready to embark on the Eid special trip.
The owner of the triple-decker “Sundarbans” Launch Fleet, Saidur Rahman Rintu, also central vice-president of launch owners association, said normally 4-5 triple-decker launches ferried passengers every day between Dhaka and Barisal.
On the occasion of Eid ul-Azha, the number of launches had been increased only to accommodate the growing number of passengers, added the leader.
Sources said the launch cabin tickets had already been sold out before the trip started, despite the fact that advance booking was prohibited.
Rintu said they might witness a mad rush of passengers on October 2,3,4,5 from Dhaka and October 8,9,10,11 from Barisal ends.
Passengers of private triple-decker launches have to pay an excessive fare amounting to Tk1,100 for per first class cabin ticket, Tk600 for sofa seat and Tk250 for a seat in the deck.
“We change the fare only for two weeks before and after Eid ul-Fitr and Eid ul-Azha, in line with the fare chart fixed by the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority,” said Saidur Rahman Rintu.
He also said the realisation of excessive fares helped to cover the losses the vehicle owners incur around the year.
Abul Bashar Majumdar, deputy director (river safety and traffic management)) BIWTA Barisal office, said: “The port authorities have completed all the formalities to ensure the safety of the passengers.”
Committees have also been formed at every major river port with the representatives of local administration, elites, BIWTA, BIWTC, shipping ministry, law enforcing agencies, launch owners association, volunteers of girl guides and boy scouts associations, said Md Shahidullah, Barisal port officer.
The committees are working to ensure smooth and safe riverine transport system, easy loading and unloading of passengers, preventing snatching, mugging and harassment during the rush hours.
Special measures taken for preventing over loading, checking about plying transports with trained and certified drivers, masters and crews, loading and unloading only at river port, not at mid-river, closing cargo hold hatch 30 minutes before departing port and not carrying any passenger there.
A night camp also opened in the port areas and passengers were requested not to leave the station areas before sun rise, Barisal port officials said.