Poor visibility caused by dense fogs disrupted ferry movements for 12 hours on Aricha-Kazirhat and five hours on Paturia- Daulatdia routes in the early hours of Monday, Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) Paturia ghat officials said.
"Dense fog blanketed the Aricha-Kazirhat river routes on Jamuna River, forcing us to suspend the ferry movements at 9.30 pm on Sunday. The services resumed 12.00 hours later at 9.30 am today (Monday)," BIWTC's deputy general manager Shah Mohammad Khaled Newaz said.
The officials said five ferries were stranded at Paturia ghat, seven at Daulatdia ghat and one in the midstream of the Padma River in Paturia-Daulatdia route with vehicles and passengers during the period.
Meanwhile, three ferries were anchored at Aricha ghat, one in the middle of the Jamuna on Aricha-Kazirhat route and one ferry at Kazirhat, the sources added.
Officials said the fog simultaneously forced suspension of movement of other vessels like engine-run country boats and launched both the river routes.
They said the visibility largely returned at about 10am in Paturia-Daulatdia route and 9:30am at Aricha-Kazirhat route.
BIWTC DGM Newaz said the ferry movement is normal at Paturia-Daulatdia route as there was no rush of vehicles, but a lot of vehicles including goods laden trucks were waiting in queue at Kazirhat.
