Launch services on the Paturia-Daulatdia and Aricha-Kazirhat routes have been suspended due to inclement weather and strong currents prevailing in the Padma River.
“To avoid any untoward incident, the authorities suspended launch services from 9am Wednesday,” confirmed Faridul Alam, assistant director (Traffic) of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA).
He said: “Strong currents prevailing in the Padma River may cause launches to capsize or collide out in the river.”
Launch services will resume once the weather conditions improve, he added.
A total of 33 launches—22 between Paturia and Daulatdia and 11 between Aricha and Kazirhat—usually runs on these two routes.
However, ferry operations on the Paturia-Daulatdia route are operating as usual. Thus, passengers arriving at the ghat are getting the opportunity to cross the river on ferries.
M Zillur Rahman, deputy general manager of the Aricha office of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC), said a total of 17 ferries run on this route every day. Due to rough weather, the services have slowed, he added.
