Home ›› 07 Dec 2021 ›› Nation
Limited operation of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation’s vessels on the Dhaka-Barishal river route has irked thousands of regular passengers as the private vessel operators have increased fares up to 43 per cent on the plea of diesel price hike.
The passengers find the increase of fare at such a rate “totally illogical” as diesel price was increased by only 23 per cent.
They said the wayward attitude of private vessel operators in realising fares was not acceptable but they are forced to pay the increased fare as there remains a little alternative.
The state-run BIWTC’s vessels charge Tk 170 for passengers on the deck and the private operators charge Tk 300 for the same class on a one-way trip.
Despite having several paddle ships and modern vessels at their disposal, the BIWTC is now operating only two vessels on the route only thrice a week ignoring the demand of passengers.
Jahirul Islam, an NGO official, regularly commutes on the route for official purposes.
He said river routes are considered as a cheap mode of transportation but the low-income people are suffering from the fare increase as their income did not increase proportionately.
“The limited operation of government vessels also adding salt to their wounds,” he said.
The BIWTC now has four paddle ships at their disposal and they kept three cost-efficient vessels – PS Turn, PS Lepcha and PS Mahsud – out of service for reasons unknown.
The BIWTC leased out another paddle ship PS Ostrich, which was once used for VVIP services, to an individual without any tender. It also leased out MV Sonargaon, which is collected from the Bangladesh Railway, to another individual and the lessee rented it to the Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation, BIWTC officials said declining to reveal the names of the lessees, the time period or the terms of the lease.
Chief engineer at the engineering department of BIWTC Abdul Gafur Sarker said they have sent PS Mahsud to its dockyard for repairing after keeping it out of operation for more than 1.5 years. He said the vessel would return to the operation in January after the repair work.
The BIWTC official said the Department of Shipping was reluctant to issue survey certificates for four paddle ships that are aged above 80 years.
Civic forum leaders in Barishal said these paddle ships were totally renovated and refurbished at least twice, in 1982 and 1996, and the entire structure of those vessels including hull, keel, engine, transmission and propulsion systems were totally changed. They also questioned branding these vessels as “80-years-old”.
Seeking anonymity, several technical experts of BIWTC said, if these vessels are repaired, they can still provide services for more 25 years. “If PS Mahsud can resume operation in January after repairing, why PS Lepcha and PS Turn cannot do the same?” one of them wondered.
The remaining two vessels, MV Bangali and MV Madhumoti are operating on the route even after facing a loss of Tk 3 lakh to Tk 4 lakh per trip.
Barishal Unnayan Forum President Dr Mizanur Rahman said, “Regular operation of these state-owned vessels is essential for the economy of the southern region.”
BIWTC’s director (Business) Ashiquzzaman was, however, hopeful for the resumption of operation of these vessels. “These vessels are environment friendly and if fully utilised, these can also help establish a better connectivity with the southern districts,” he said.
The corporation’s Chief engineer Abdul Gafur Sarker said, “We will soon have a meeting with the higher authority to solve these problems. We hope we can resume operation of the vessel on the route soon.”
