Lines getting longer for homebound people at Shimulia ferry ghat
On the third day of Eid holidays, a barrage of homebound people was seen at Shimulia Ghat area of Munshiganj.
Shimulia Ghat is the gateway to 23 districts in the south-western region of the country.
Compared to the last few days, the pressure of vehicles and passengers at the terminal has increased.
However, the shortage of ferries has increased people's suffering.
People started arriving at the ferry terminal since seheri as the day progressed, the queues of vehicles started getting longer. Around 8am in the morning there was a 3km long queue of vehicles.
Owing to this congestion people are leaving the vehicles and started going to the terminal on foot.
The speedboat and launch terminals are overcrowded. Despite being overcharged passengers are happy to be able to travel to their hometowns this year.
Arafat Rahman, who lives in Dhaka's Hazaribagh, said, "I work for a leather company and share rides on by motorcycle. I set out with my wife and children for Khulna. If we go by bus or use different vehicles on both sides of the ghat it would cost me Tk3,000. On the otherhand I have filled my motorcycle with fuel worth Tk900, with which I should be able to reach home."
"But after coming to the terminal I am facing uncertainty. There are so many motorcycles, no one knows when they will pass when I will be able to cross the river", he said.
Another traveller Abdul Halim said, "I came to Mawa Ghat from Mirpur in an hour and a half by bus. I will cross by launch. Though there were crowds of passengers on the launch ghat I did not have to wait for long. I will soon reach Barisal."
Shahadat Hossain, a Shimulia port official of the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA), said there has been huge passenger pressure since morning. There is no place to set foot in the speedboat and launch terminal areas, he added.
Passengers are being transported by 152 speedboats, 85 launches and eight trawlers since dawn. Launch movement was stopped at 7pm last night and resumed this morning, he said.
Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC)'s Shimulia Ghat Manager (Commerce) Jamal Hossain said a total of 10 ferries are currently operating on the route. Hundreds of vehicles have crossed the ghat area since morning.
However, there are more than 800 vehicles in the ghat area, but the condition of the highway cannot be ascertained from here.
BIWTC has designated terminal number one for motorcycles. Still, they are struggling to cross the motorcycles. This time during Eid holidays the pressure of motorcycles is the highest said the official.
Also, ferries have halted carrying buses on Shimulia-Banglabazar route, reports one of our correspondents. This has caused all busses to be rerouted to Paturia-Daulatdia ghat which is causing huge congestion at that ghat as well.
