Members of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) have been deployed at Shimulia ferry ghat since Thursday morning to ensure people follow social distancing norms and wear masks.
The ferry ghat is witnessing an unprecedented rush as thousands of migrant workers are leaving Dhaka and adjoining areas for their home districts to celebrate Eid with their families.
Fourteen of the 16 ferries are currently operating on the Shimulia-Banglabazar route. Such is the rush that the ferries are carrying mostly home-bound passengers, leaving vehicles behind.
Also read: BGB deployed on Paturia-Daulatdia, Shimulia-Banglabazar routes
Assistant General Secretary of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC), Md Shafiqur Rahman said, "The remaining two ferries are being repaired and it won’t be possible for us to increase the numbers on this route."
On Wednesday, amid a mad rush of home-bound people ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr, at least five persons died in a stampede and of heat stroke at Banglabazar ferry terminal.
Ferry services on Paturia-Daulatdia and Shimulia-Banglabazar routes were earlier suspended to curb the spread of Covid-19.
Also read: 5 die in stampede, heatstroke at Banglabazar ferry terminal
Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) had said the decision to suspend ferry services on the two busy water routes, with effect from Saturday morning, was taken in the wake of the ongoing second wave of coronavirus.
But the mad rush of home-bound people forced them to resume the ferry services.