Rocket Steamer Service, an iconic means of transportation in Bangladesh, has been suspended in Chandpur for the past six months, causing substantial inconvenience to travellers, especially low-income ones.
The Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) operated the steamer service on different routes with steamers named PS Mashood (1926), PS Ostrich (1929), PS Lepcha (1938), PS Turn (1950), and MV Shela (1951).
The Rocket Steamer Service has been suspended since October 2022, and it was decided that it would operate only on special occasions such as Eid and other important festivals.
Mohammad Shahadat Hossain, Deputy Director of Chandpur BIWTC, told UNB that he did not have the exact details regarding why the Rocket Steamer Service has been suspended in Chandpur. He suggested that the head office would be able to provide the necessary information.
According to some BIWTC staff who sought anonymity, the decrease in the number of passengers due to the opening of the Padma Bridge led to the suspension of the service.
The impact of this decision has been significant, particularly for Chandpur passengers who relied on the steamer as their primary mode of transportation to and from their home and rail station.
The UNB correspondent found the scenario at the Chandpur Rocket Steamer Ghat bleak, with numerous stores closed and the area becoming filthy and littered.
This decision of suspending steamer service has become as a blow to many travellers who rely on the service for daily commutes and tourist purposes.
If the rocket steamer services had been resumed in coordination with Chattogram and Sylhet train timings for the upcoming Eid, hundreds of thousands of passengers would have had an easier and more comfortable Eid trip, according to many regular commuters.
The travel experience for passengers in the southern district would have been more comfortable and safer, if the Rocket Steamer Service had still been active in Chandpur, said Station Master Soaib Sikder of Bara Railway Station.
Furthermore, the fare of steamer from Chandpur to Barisal is relatively low at Tk 120, whereas the launch fare varies between TK 350 and 400 and is even higher during the Eid season. The Steamer Ghat is also only a two-minute walk away from the train station.
The Rocket Steamer Service has an extensive history and is an integral component of Bangladesh's heritage. Its suspension means a significant loss to the country's tourism sector, and many travellers are hoping that it will be restored soon.
