Although the official activities of the newly-formed Shipping Police have yet to begin, the Shipping Ministry gave the force the responsibility to provide security on river routes during the Ramadan and Eid-ul-Fitr yesterday.
“The new unit, which will work to ensure security on vessels and river routes along with the Coast Guard, may help reduce the sufferings of the passengers and stop extortion on the river routes,” said Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan at his ministry conference room, after attending a meeting on river route security measures during Ramadan and Eid.
The minister added that all procedures regarding the formation of the shipping police had been completed and it would start working soon.
“Though the formation procedures and posting of forces for the police unit have been completed, we cannot officially start its work due to some difficulties in finding office space,” he added.
“We are searching for a place where the office of the newly formed unit will be set up. It will officially start its work after setting up the office. Until then, the forces will work to ensure safe journeys on river routes during Ramadan and Eid,” Shahjahan informed.
Earlier last may, the shipping minister said the new force, initially formed with a total of 730 officials, would soon be inaugurated by the prime minister. However, the formal inauguration of the force has yet to be held.
He said the shipping police will work to prevent extortion and robbery on river routes and ensure safety for home-bound passengers.
“Incidents of extortion and robbery take place centering sand lifting and trading and we have identified areas, such as Muktarpur, Basila and Keraniganj, as spots where crime is most rampant,” the minister said.
Shajahan Khan also said the ministry had decided to lift the existing leasing system of three launch ghats in Kawrakandi of Madaripur, Paturia of Manikganj and Daulatdia of Rajbari district.
“The passengers will not have to pay for using the ghats. The decision will be implemented before Eid,” he confirmed.
The minister, who presided over the meeting, said that the government will be tough on over-loaded launches and river transports during Ramadan and Eid as such irregularities might make vessels venerable to natural disasters during the monsoon.
“So, the ministry has decided to stop the over loading of launches by using mobile courts and deploying police forces. The launch authorities must leave the station when the load-level is reached. No transports will be allowed to take passengers from mid-river stoppages.
“Launch owners have also assured the ministry that they will not charge extra fares from passengers during Eid. They will charge fares as per the chart fixed by the government earlier. All of the passenger launches will take double trips during this period to reduce transport crises. The BIWTC authority will fix the date for starting the double trips of the launches,” the shipping minister said.
The minister also said ferries will not carry ordinary trucks or transport starting from three days before and ending three days after Eid day.
