Ferries on Shimulia-Banglabazar route are going to stay for now even after the opening of the Padma Bridge next week, according to relevant officials. The widely used ferry terminal named Mawa ghat(Shimulia-Banglabazar route) is likely to remain operational even after the country’s longest ever (6.15 km) bridge opens to vehicular traffic on June 26, a day after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina  is scheduled to declare it open at a grand ceremony on June 25. At present, four ferries (Kunjalata, Kadam, Begum Rokeya, Begum Sufia Kamal) transport a total of 62,500 people and 2,900 vehicles per day through the Shimulia-Banglabazar route, while 21 ferries transport around 10,000 vehicles per day via Paturia-Daulatdia route. Currently, only light passenger vehicles are transported via the Shimulia-Banglabazar route while goods-laden heavy vehicles are transported via the Paturia-Daulatdia route. State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury said recently that the ferry terminal at Shimulia will remain open even after the inauguration of Padma Bridge. Read: Padma Bridge an eye opener to foreign investors: Saudi envoy At least12 more ferries will be added to the Shimulia-Banglabazar route, he said, signaling that ferries will be kept operational even after the opening of the Padma Bridge.  He also hoped that demand for ferries will increase at the Shimulia Ghat in the coming days. As the toll rate for using the Padma Bridge is almost 50 per cent more than the ferry fares, it is likely that a lot of commuters will keep using the ferries to reduce their transport costs. The state minister also mentioned that a tourist-centric eco zone will be set up at Shimulia to generate employment. “No one from the areas adjacent to the Padma Bridge will remain unemployed,” said Khalid. Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation ( BIWTC) informed UNB that they have a big plan centering the Shimulia ghat and its adjacent areas. One of them is to keep ferries operational.

Authorities have suspended ferry services on Shimulia-Banglabazar and Shimulia-Majhirkandi routes since early Thursday due to poor visibility owing to dense winter fog. Md Shahadat Hossain, Shimulia port officer of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC), said the ferry services were halted from 2.30 am due to poor visibility. "Four ferries have been anchored, while some 250 vehicles also got stuck due to the suspension of services," said the officer. Read: Dense fog disrupts Paturia-Daulatdia ferry services Meanwhile, launch and speedboat operations on the two routes have also been suspended since Thursday morning due to poor visibility.  Around 87 launches and 101 speed boats ply on these two routes. "The services will resume once visibility increases," said the port officer.

Ferry services on Shimulia-Banglabazar route resumed on Monday after over two months of suspension, Medium sized ferries carrying light vehicles will operate on this route during the day time for now, said Ashikuzzaman, Director (commerce) of BIWTC. Currently four ferries are plying on this route while passengers are being carried by 87 launches and 101 speedboats, he said. Also read: Ferry movement suspended on Shimulia-Banglabazar route All the ferries were seen moving with ease under the Padma bridge. On August 18, BIWTC suspended all ferry services on the route for an indefinite period due to strong current in the Padma River. The decision came after at least five ferries hit the Padma Bridge pillars between July and August this year. Also read: Ferry services on Shimulia-Banglabazar route resume after 48 days

Bangladesh Inland and Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) has extended the time for launch operations on Shimulia-Banglabazar and Majhirkandi routes by an hour and a half. From Thursday, ferries can operate from 6am to 8pm daily on the two busy routes, according to an order issued Wednesday. Read: Launch services resume in Keraniganj Assistant director of BIWTA, Shahadat Hossain, said that the general public will benefit from the extended timings. Some 87 launches are currently operating on the two routes. Launch operations will, however, remain suspended after 8pm, as per the order, signed by BIWTA director Mohammad Rafiqul Islam. However, speedboats on the two routes will continue to operate from 6am till 5.40pm only.

Launch and ferry services on Shimulia-Banglabazar route will not ply at night time due to increasing strong current and high tide in Padma, authorities said Monday night. According to the announcement, the night services were suspended until further notice. However, the services will be open during the day time. READ: Ferry with heavy vehicles banned from plying under Padma bridge: Khalid  BIWTC joint-general manager Ahmed Ali said, “The tides are getting high which is why ferry service remain closed at night for the time being.” During the day, the ferry to Shimulia will run through the 12th and 13th pillars of the Padma Bridge. The Banglabazar-bound ferry will move through the 6th and 7th pillars, he said. During the day, a limited number of vehicles cross on the five available ferries. So, he requested the emergency vehicles to use alternative routes. After the announcement services were suspended around 6 pm Monday. Shimulia River Port Naval Safety and Traffic Management Assistant Director Shahadat Hossain said that according to the decision of the concerned committee, the ferry movements will remain closed from 6:30 pm to avoid accidents due to strong currents in the river. The decision was taken for the safety of passengers, launches and staff.   READ: Ferry services on Shimulia-Banglabazar route suspended for bad weather The new schedule would be implemented from Tuesday, he said.

Two days ahead of the seven-day nationwide shutdown, thousands of people overcrowded the Shimulia ferry terminal on Saturday in their frantic efforts to get back their village homes. People were seen flocking the Shimulia-Banglabazar ferry ghat and crossing the river since morning ignoring health safety protocols. All the 16 ferries are now operating to manage the huge rush of home-bound people. Also read: BGB personnel keep watch on Covid safety protocols at Shimulia ferry ghat Besides, many people gathered on the other side of the ferry terminal to return to Dhaka to get their emergency works done. Check-posts have been installed in many important points as the government earlier enforced restrictions to limit movement in the district. Launches, speedboats and trawlers were seen carrying passengers beyond their capacities. The link road near platoon No 3 at the ghat has gone under water to rains, adding to the woes of passengers. Mohammad Foysal, manager of Bangladesh Inland and Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC), said, “All the ferries are operating now due to huge pressure of homebound people. A long queue of vehicles was also seen near the ghat for crossing the river.” Also read: 5 die in stampede, heatstroke at Banglabazar ferry terminal The government is going to enforce a new nationwide "strict lockdown" on Monday, as the country grapples with a surge in coronavirus cases and fatalities with the highly infectious Delta variant playing havoc. The restrictions will remain in place for seven days, said Press Information Department Principal Information Officer Surath Kumar Sarker on Friday. Government and private offices, barring those of emergency services, will remain shut during this period. The National Technical Advisory Committee on Covid-19 pandemic on Thursday recommended imposing a "nationwide shutdown" for two weeks considering the worsening Covid-19 situation in the country. Community transmission of the highly transmissible Delta variant of coronavirus might be the reason behind the current Covid-19 situation in the country, said the committee. Also read: Strict nationwide lockdown in Bangladesh from Monday as Covid situation worsens It used the example of India to emphasise that no step other than a "complete shutdown" might be enough to prevent the spread of the Delta variant. Bangladesh has seen a spike in coronavirus infections and fatalities in recent weeks, with the country reporting its second-highest fatalities – 108 new deaths – and 5,869 cases Friday. It has now seen 878,804 cases and 13,976 deaths.

As Eid holidays are over, now thousands of holidaymakers from south-western districts overcrowded the ferry terminals in a bid to return to Dhaka to join their workplaces. They are flocking to Paturia-Daulatdia and Shimulia-Banglabazar ferry ghats to cross the river and reach the capital as offices reopened on Sunday following a three-day vacation. The returnees seemed hardly concerned about maintaining hygiene rules although there is an alarming Covid surge in neighbouring India and Nepal. Read: BGB personnel keep watch on Covid safety protocols at Shimulia ferry ghat The detection of a deadlier Indian variant of virus in Bangladesh has also raised serious concerns here in recent days. UNB Munshiganj correspondent says microbus, cars and auto-rickshaws are charging extra fares from passengers as public transport services remained suspended as part of the government restrictions to stem the transmission of coronavirus. AGM of Bangladesh Inland water transport Authority (BIWTA) Shafiqul Islam said ferry services are in operation to carry vehicles providing emergency services even though public transport services have been suspended. “People are now returning to Dhaka and adjacent districts through the overcrowded ferries without maintaining social distancing or wearing masks, raising the risks of virus transmission,” he said.  

Amid mad rush of homebound people ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr, five people died in stampede and heatstroke at Banglabazar ferry terminal on Wednesday. Banglabazar Traffic Police Inspector Ashikur Rahman said a teenage boy was killed in a stampede while getting off Shah Paran ferry. The deceased was identified as Anchur,15, son of Giasuddin Madbor of Noria upazila of Shariatpur. Also read: Covid-19 claims 40 more lives, infects 1,144 others Four others died due to heatstroke and stampede while boarding off Enayetpuri ferry at the same terminal, he said. Sources said that lakhs of people have crossed the Padma River on ferries since morning. All the 17 ferries are operating to cater to the mad rush of homebound people. Some 800 vehicles and 10,000 people have crossed the river till Wednesday noon, officials said. Also read: BGB deployed on Paturia-Daulatdia, Shimulia-Banglabazar routes Authorities, meanwhile, claimed that people will not face any difficulties in crossing rivers as ferry services are available. The UNB correspondent found hundreds of people reaching the Daulatdia-Paturia ghat in the afternoon on foot, in rickshaws and other vehicles, defying all the lockdown norms. Police have installed a number of check-posts on the highway, including Barbaria, Singair and Dhalla areas. Though the cops forced many vehicles coming from other districts to return, passengers were quick to get off the vehicles and head towards the ferry ghat on foot. Also read: Mad rush of homebound people at Paturia terminal Ferry services on Paturia-Daulatdia and Shimulia-Banglabazar routes were suspended to curb the spread of Covid-19. Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) 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 homebound people forced them to resume the ferry services.

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) teams have been deployed on the Paturia-Daulatdia and Shimulia-Banglabazar routes in Manikganj and Munshiganj from tonight to stop the mad rush of homebound people. Md Shariful Islam, Public relations officer of the  BGB headquarters confirmed the development to UNB. He warned that strict actions will be taken against those gathering at the ferry terminals despite suspension on water vessels plying  from tomorrow. Earlier today, Paturia ferry terminal saw a mad rush of homebound people ahead of Eid despite a so-called decision of  Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) to suspend  daytime ferry services. Also read: Ferry services suspended to contain spread of Covid BIWTC took the decision late Friday night to suspend daytime ferry services on Paturia-Daulatdia and Shimulia-Banglabazar routes from Saturday morning as per government instructions to curb the spread of coronavirus infection ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr. However, three ferries were selected to transport ambulances and hearse vehicles. While visiting Paturia ferry terminal early Saturday morning, the UNB correspondent saw flocks of people stranded there, completely unaware of the hastily made late night decision of BIWTC. Although some of them were forced to return, hundreds of passengers continued to hold their ground in an attempt to celebrate Eid with the loved ones at any cost. Also read: Mad rush of homebound people at Paturia terminal When an ambulance carrying a dead body was getting into the Madhobilota, a ferry kept for emergency situations, hundreds of these people forced themselves onto it. The same incident happened with two other ferries anchored at separate terminals of Paturia. After a few hours, two of those ferries, carrying hundreds of people, left the terminals and this was more or less the entire story of the day, which means the late night suspension of BIWTC has proved insufficient. However, Jillur Rahman, deputy general manager of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) Aricha office said, “At all times the plying of water vessels has been suspended following BIWTC’s decision. Only three ferries  are operational for emergency use. But we are facing difficulties in operating them because of excessive pressure by people wanting to get in.”