State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury on Monday told Parliament that the country’s southern region-bound passengers on almost all waterways declined significantly due to the advent of Padma Bridge. “On an average 85-90 launches were plying from Dhaka River Port to the southern region every day (before the bridge opened). But now on average 60-65 launches are plying daily on those routes from Sadarghat in Dhaka,” he said. The state minister said this in reply to a scripted question from Awami League lawmaker Sayeda Rubina Akter. Also read: Padma Bridge brings more visitors to tourist destinations in Bagerhat The construction of the dream bridge has enabled the south-bound passengers to reach their respective destinations by road quickly. “However, the number of passengers has decreased significantly in almost all waterways, except a few, as the passenger movement on the waterways takes more time,” he said. Khalid Mahmud also said the movement of 87 launches and 155 speed boats on the Shimulia-Banglabazar and Shimulia-Mazhikandi routes had stopped since the inauguration of Padma Bridge. However, there is a possibility to increase the waterway passengers slightly within the next 6 months, he said. The feasibility study continues to create new river routes for passenger and cargo transportation at affordable prices, he added. The state minister said since the launch of the 'dream' Padma Bridge, even the number of passengers on 'the Rocket', a famed steamer of BIWTC on the Dhaka-Morrelganj-Dhaka Inland Water Route, has come down significantly, as potential passengers can now simply do the journey by road, saving both time and money. Similarly, a ferry service that used to run between Mawa and Majhirkandi has also been forced to stop due to drastically reduced demand, and movement of vessels on the Paturia-Daulatdia ferry route has declined significantly. Also read: Shariatpur poultry farmers' dreams now stretch beyond Padma Bridge This is all having a negative effect on BIWTC revenues, he did add. Not that it was a cause for complaint.

Launch services on the Shimulia-Banglabazar-Majhirkandi routes have been suspended since 6 pm on Tuesday due to inclement weather. Assistant director of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) Shahadat Hossain said the authorities concerned have decided to suspend launch services on the routes due to stormy weather and rain. Also read:Launch services on Shimulia-Banglabazar route suspended for bad weather Assistant General Manager of BIWTC, Shimulia Ghat, Shafiqul Islam, said the ferries were operating on the routes as usual with six ferries in operation. The launch services will resume from 6 am on Wednesday given an improvement of weather conditions. Earlier, the launch services remained suspended for one hour from 2:35 pm to 3:35 pm due to a storm on Tuesday.

Launch services on the Shimulia-Banglabazar route have been suspended for an indefinite period from Saturday evening due to stormy weather. However, the ferries on the route were operating as usual, said Shafiqul Islam, assistant director-general of Bangladesh Inland and Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC). Read: Over 500 vehicles stranded at Narsinghpur ferry ghat Besides, passengers stranded at the launch ghats have been instructed to cross the ferry. The authorities suspended the launch services from 7 pm on Saturday due to the upcoming nor'wester, locally known as Kal-Baisakhi. BIWTA Assistant Director and Mawa Port Officer, Shahadat Hossain said the launch services on this route will remain suspended until further notice. 85 launches were operating on these routes from 6 am to 8 pm but it was running till 10 pm due to Eid.  

Launch owners have called off their strike, part of the wider transport strike protesting a 23 percent hike in the price of diesel, following a decision to increase fares by upto 42 percent. Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) has increased the fares for short distance-journeys by 35.3 percent, and for long distances by 42 percent. Read:Striking association unveils 3-pt charter of demands The decision was made at a meeting between the BIWTA authorities and launch owners in the capital on Sunday. Launch fare has been fixed at Tk 2.30 per kilometre for the first 100 km (from Tk 1.70/km), and then Tk 2/km beyond the first 100 km, which used to be Tk 1.40 . The minimum fare has also been fixed at Tk 30, a two-thirds increase or 66.7 percent up from the existing Tk 18. BIWTA Chairman Commodore Golam Sadeq said the new fares will be effective from today (Sunday). A notification will be issued regarding the increased fare soon. Moreover, each launch dock will have the new fare list. The BIWTA chairman said, “The launch fares were last increased in 2013. After that the fare was not adjusted." Read:Strike called off as bus fares raised Meanwhile, the chairman said a committee was working anyway to increase the fares in response to the demands of the owners, before the fuel price hike came in. "In the meantime, the price of fuel has been increased. Then the owners urgently demanded a fare adjustment." "We have taken everything into consideration while fixing the new fares so that the passengers do not suffer, nor the owners face losses," he added. Earlier, the launch owners suspended their services on Saturday, demanding that the fares be doubled.   A section of leaders of transport workers and owners met Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal but the meeting made no headway.  

Export-oriented industries resumed operation on Sunday, the 10th day of the ongoing stringent lockdown, amid warnings against Covid surge as workers started returning to their workplaces without maintaining health protocols. The workers in their thousands have been on their way back to their workplaces in Narayanganj, Gazipur and Mymensingh in Dhaka division since Friday after the government’s announcement of reopening factories. Read:Vessels to move till 12 pm Sunday to carry factory workers The workers took their arduous journeys to get back to their workplaces as public transport remained suspended due to the lockdown. They walked miles for miles or moved on in hired auto-rickshaws, motorbikes, goods-laden vehicles in their desperate bid to join work. Later, the government on Saturday night allowed public transport to operate until 12 pm on Sunday to facilitate the return of workers.   Buses started plying roads from early Sunday and people were seen entering the capital through Gabtoli, Abdullahpur, Mohakhali, Sayedabad, Postagola and Babubazar point by bus or on foot. The Covid-19 crisis has hit the country’s economy hard and jeopardized its impressive achievements in poverty reduction, according to economists.

Launch services resumed here on Thursday morning, with the government easing the lockdown curbs for a week ahead of Eid-ul-Azha. On Wednesday, State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury visited Sadarghat Launch Terminal and asked the authorities to ensure that all passengers comply with Covid-safety protocols. Read:Now mad rush to return to Dhaka; river terminals overcrowded again “Everyone should follow health safety guidelines and those found without a mask will be fined,” he had said. Khalid had also urged the launch owners and officials of the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) to remain alert in view of the worsening Covid situation in the country. On July 13, the Bangladesh government decided to ease all lockdown restrictions in the country for eight days ahead of Eid-ul-Azha. In a notification on Tuesday morning, the cabinet division said that the lockdown restrictions would be lifted from July 14 midnight to the morning of July 23. Read: 5 die in stampede, heatstroke at Banglabazar ferry terminal However, strict restrictions will resume from July 23 and will continue till August 5, as per the order. A record rise in the number of Covid cases and fatalities in recent days prompted the government to enforce a nationwide stringent lockdown. All modes of public transport, including the road, river, rail and air, remained suspended during the lockdown. On June 22, the authorities suspended the movement of all passenger vessels in Narayanganj, Gazipur, Munshiganj, Manikganj, Madaripur, Rajbari and Gopalganj to curb the spread of Covid in these districts. Read: Homebound people flock at launch and bus terminals dreading ‘lockdown’ Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) announced its decision to suspend the movement of launches, speed boats and trawlers on June 21, following the Cabinet Division’s circular on the imposition of lockdown in these seven districts. However, the restrictions won't apply on the movement of cargo vessels and emergency services. And legal action will be taken against violators, according to the BIWTA notification.

The Elisha Ferry and Launch terminals in Bhola were submerged and the pontoons got heavily damaged due to all day long rains accompanied by gusty wind on Wednesday, causing great sufferings to locals and commuters. 

Authorities on Thursday morning suspended launch services on Paturia-Daulatdia and Aricha-Kazirhat launch routes for inclement weather.