Poor visibility caused by dense fog disrupted ferry movements for 13.5 hours on Aricha-Kazirhat and 5 hours on Paturia- Daulatdia routes early on Sunday, Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) Paturia Ghat officials said.
"Dense fog blanketed the Aricha-Kazirhat river routes on the river Jamuna, forcing us to suspend the ferry movements at 8:30 pm on Saturday. The services were resumed after 13.5 hours at 10 am today (Sunday)," BIWTC's deputy general manager Shah Mohammad Khaled Newaz said. The ferry movement was suspended in Paturia-Daulatdia route on the Padma from 2:30 am to 7:30 am, DGM added.
He said at midnight after the fog density was increased and the routes appeared "almost invisible" when all 17 ferries, which were to operate during the subsequent hours, were asked to remain stationed at terminals or on the midstream.
The official said six ferries were stranded at Paturia Ghat, five at Daulatdia Ghat, and one in the midstream of the Padma River in Paturia-Daulatdia route with vehicles and passengers during the period, while three ferries were anchored in the middle of the Jamuna on Aricha-Kazirhat route and two ferries were at Aricha Ghat.
Officials said the fog simultaneously forced suspension of movement of other vessels like engine-run country boats and launches on both river routes.
They said the visibility largely returned at about 7:30 am on Paturia-Daulatdia route and 10 am on Aricha-Kazirhat route.
BIWTC, DGM Newaz said the ferry movement is normal at Paturia-Daulatdia route as there was no rush of vehicles, but a lot of vehicles were waiting in a queue at Kazirhat Ghat as there was no ferry during the period.
