People returning to the capital from Bhola and Barisal after Eid-ul-Fitr holidays using water routes are at risk as they are travelling on overloaded launches to cross the Meghna River in bad weather.
The speed boat service between Bhola to Barisal at Bheduria launch terminal in Barisal was suspended on Monday morning due to the weather.
Md Nasim, traffic officer at the Bhola zone of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC), confirmed this and said the decision was put into effect at 11am, and the service would remain suspended until further notice.
The sea truck service between Bhola and Lakshmipur was also hampered as ST Khijir 7, the sea truck, broke down on Sunday.
Md Shihabuddin, manager of BIWTC ferry service, said they had urged the Dhaka-bound passengers to use the ferry service to cross Meghna.
He said the number of ferries had been doubled to tackle the pressure.
All the Dhaka-bound launches leaving from Bhola were overcrowded on the seventh day after Eid.
The launches did not maintain the schedule and left for Dhaka only after their crews had admitted passengers well beyond the vessels’ capacity.
Alhaj Golam Nabi Alamgir, the owner of two launches that commute between Dhaka and Bhola, said all the launches that operated on the route had been pulled out of the rotation system and were being used to carry passengers to Dhaka.
Ajit Deb, executive magistrate of Bhola, said they were monitoring the situation to prevent the overcrowding of the launches.
