Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury, Bangladesh's state minister for shipping, on Wednesday (January 17, 2024) said the ferry, Rajanigandha, capsized in the Padma River near Paturia ferry terminal in Manikganj after being hit by a bulkhead.“Primarily, it is known that the ferry was anchored near the ghat and a bulkhead hit the ferry,” he said while talking to reporters at the secretariat. The actual reason could be known after getting probe report, he said. Ferry driver missing after it capsizes with vehicles in Padma River“Rajanigandha ferry is a utility ferry and there were a small number of vehicles on it. When vehicles started to board it ,the authorities usually maintain balance and whether the authorities followed it properly at that time it will be known later,” said the minister.The ferry authorities said they anchored the ferry due to dense fog and when they started their journey around 1:30 am from Daulatpur ghat the sky was clear but when they reached near Paturia they experienced poor visibility due to dense fog, he said.A secretary-level officer is on the spot and he will take necessary steps, said Khalid.Mentioning that Bulkhead is needed for transporting goods, the minister said, “The ministry is looking how to modernize those and register those and the Department of Shipping (DoS) is working on it.” Daulatdia-Paturia ferry services resume after 7 hoursA man identified as Humayun Kabir, 39, second master of the ferry, went missing as the ferry on the Daulatdia-Paturia route with nine trucks capsized near No 5 ghat in Paturia of Manikganj district earlier today.

In a harrowing incident early this morning, a ferry operating on the Daulatdia-Paturia route tragically capsized near No 5 ghat in the Manikganj district of Bangladesh. The mishap, involving the ferry ‘Rajanigandha’ with nine trucks onboard, led to the disappearance of one individual, identified as Humayun Kabir, the 39-year-old second driver of the vessel. Read: Weather Update: Will it rain in Dhaka?  Anwarul Islam, warehouse inspector of Fire Service and Civil Defence, reported that the ferry sank around 8:16 am. Following the incident, local fire service divers were promptly dispatched to the site and succeeded in rescuing six individuals from the perilous waters. The exact cause of the ferry’s capsizing remains unclear at this early stage of the investigation. Read: Dhaka Elevated Expressway to be completed in 2024, says Obaidul Quader  In a display of coordinated effort, the Bangladesh Navy has also joined the ongoing rescue operations, as confirmed by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). The search continues for the missing ferry driver, Humayun Kabir, with rescue teams working tirelessly against the clock in the hope of a safe recovery. 

Ferry services on the Daulatdia-Paturia route resumed this morning after more than six hours of disruption caused thick fog. Mohiuddin Russel, Manager of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) Aricha sector, said ferry services on the Daulatdia-Paturia route were suspended at 3 am due to poor visibility caused by the dense fog. Two ferries were stuck in the middle of the river while twelve others were stranded on both sides of it, he said. Read: Shell out more for your daily ferry ride!

Commuters waiting to cross the Padma river had a harrowing time Saturday morning, with the authorities suspending ferry services on the Daulatdia-Paturia route due to dense fog. Mahiuddin Russel, manager of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) at Aricha point, said the ferry services remained halted from 3 am owing to poor visibility. Three ferries remained stranded in the middle of the Padma and operation of 11 more ferries were cancelled on the route, he said. Also read: Ferry services on Daulatdia-Paturia resume after 7 hrs Several vehicles also got stuck on both sides of the river due to the suspension of the ferry services, he said. ‘’The services will resume once visibility improves," he added.