A massive accumulation of water hyacinth has severely disrupted boat movement along nearly a one-kilometre stretch of Kaptai Lake near Kaptai Jetty in Rangamati, creating serious difficulties for passengers, boat operators and fish traders.
The floating weeds, carried by currents from different parts of the lake, have piled up around the jetty, obstructing engine-run boats and other watercraft. During a visit to the area on Tuesday, large sections of the Kaptai Inland Water Transport Terminal, BFDC Platoon Ghat and surrounding waterways were found covered with dense layers of water hyacinth.
Many boats, including fish-laden vessels, were struggling to reach the jetty. Boat operators said they were being forced to spend significantly more time and effort navigating through the vegetation. Although the weeds are occasionally cleared, fresh masses quickly drift into the area and accumulate again.
Passengers travelling to Bilaichhari—Md Osman, Swinu Marma and Ananda Tanchangya—said the first one-kilometre stretch after leaving Kaptai Jetty had become particularly difficult to cross.
“Sometimes it takes nearly an hour to cross this short stretch,” they said.
Boat operators Md Main Uddin, Md Zakir Hossain and Nur Nabi said water hyacinth had become the biggest obstacle to navigation around the jetty. According to them, a journey that normally takes about five minutes can now take up to an hour because of the dense vegetation.
They also said the weeds frequently become entangled with boat propellers, causing damage almost every day. As a result, operators have to bear additional repair and maintenance costs.
Kaptai Fish Traders Association President Belal Hossain and General Secretary Nabi Hossain said water hyacinth does not usually grow in such large quantities around Kaptai Jetty. Instead, currents carry large amounts of the vegetation from areas including Bilaichhari, Juraichhari, Baghaichhari, Barkal and Naniarchar before it becomes trapped around the jetty.
The accumulation has also created problems for fish traders. Fish-laden boats are struggling to reach the jetty, making the loading and unloading of fish increasingly difficult.
The traders attributed the situation partly to water discharge from the Kaptai Hydroelectric Power Station during electricity generation. They said the resulting current carries water hyacinth downstream towards the jetty.
According to them, authorities at the power station used large trawlers in previous years to clear the vegetation. They urged the authorities to undertake an immediate removal operation this year.
Mahmud Hasan, manager of the Karnaphuli Hydroelectric Power Station, said water-hyacinth removal operations are conducted around this time every year. However, he acknowledged that permanently solving the problem is difficult because fresh vegetation continues to drift downstream.
Local residents, passengers, fish traders and boat operators have called for the immediate removal of the accumulated weeds and the introduction of a modern, long-term management system to keep passenger and goods transportation on Kaptai Lake operational and reduce the risk of accidents.