Operators on Friday abruptly suspended the movement of four launches on the Barishal-Dhaka route, saying that the shortage of passengers has prompted them to take the decision a day before the BNP’s rally in Dhaka.
The BNP and associate bodies, however, claimed that the suspension order came to spoil their scheduled rally like the previous transport strikes in divisional cities.
Md Kabir, inspector of inland security and traffic management of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) in Barishal, confirmed the matter of suspension on Friday evening.
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He said only a launch ‘Parabat-11’ will leave for Dhaka from Barishal on Friday. The suspension order of running four launches was taken considering the shortage of passengers.
The movement of launches — Prince Awalad, Parabat-18, Surovi-7 and Sundarban-11 — was suspended, he said.
Only launches ‘Shuvoraj and Farhan-7’carrying passengers will leave Dhaka for Barishal and Jhalakathi on Friday, he said.
Besides, no launch will leave for Dhaka from Jhalakathi on Friday.
Md Sumon, a staff of the ‘Parabat-11’, said most people are not going to Dhaka fearing violence ahead of the BNP rally.
UNB’s Barishal correspondent also found a thin presence of passengers at the launch terminal compared to any other day.
Maniruzzaman, convener of Barishal city unit BNP, alleged that the government has taken several tactics to foil their Dhaka rally and for that reason, the decision to suspend operations of launches was taken.
‘’However, we have already arrived in Dhaka to join the rally,’’ he said.
