The authorities have planned to operate heavy-duty ferries with powerful engines between Shimulia Ghat of Munshiganj and Banglabazar Ghat of Madaripur to avoid any future accident at the Padma Bridge site.
The Ministry of Shipping gave the directives to the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) on Thursday.
The move came after a ferry struck pillar No 17 of the Padma Bridge near Louhajang on July 23.
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“We are collecting ferries with powerful engines from some other routes for the Mawa route because of the heavy tide in the rainy season. However, it is hard to operate ferries at this point,” Syed Md Tajul Islam, chairman of BIWTC, told Dhaka Tribune on Thursday.
Sources said some heavy-duty ferries like Begum Rokeya and Kunjolota would soon be brought for this route.
After the latest incident, the BIWTC suspended the master and the helper of the ferry instantly and formed a probe committee.
According to the sources at the Shipping Ministry, the helper was operating the ferry at a slow speed during high tide. It also did not follow a regular course to save fuel and misappropriate money.
