Erosion threatens to stop Mawa ferry services
The Padma has already devoured ferry terminal No 1 at Mawa in Munshiganj as onslaught of the river continues in the area, above, rescue teams of Fire Service and Civil Defence search for the five people who went missing after a big chunk of earth collapsed into the river at the terminal on Sunday night, and, left, around 200 goods-laden trucks get stranded at Mawa point as ferry operation is going on partially only through the vulnerable terminal No 3.Photo: STAR
Ferry services on Mawa-Kawrakandi route is facing the threat of a grinding halt as erosion by river Padma devoured terminal No. 1 on Sunday night while cracks developed in No. 4 ferry terminal. The ferry operation is now continuing partially only through the vulnerable terminal No. 3. Visiting the area yesterday, Shipping Minister Shahjahan Khan said that the government would take steps to set up three new terminals in a week to ease the situation ahead of Eid-ul-Azha. At least five staff of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) were injured when the river washed away terminal No. 1 along with at least 15 shops. Besides, five people went missing as over 100 people fell into the river when a big chunk of earth collapsed due to the erosion. Four of the missing men are shopkeepers Abul Kashem, 60, Abul Kalam, 55, Janu Miah, 50, and Byron Miah, 45, said Khondoker Khalid, in-charge of Mawa terminal. Divers of the Fire Service and Civil Defence are continuing their operation to find missing people, said Md Saiful Islam, Louhajong Upazila nirbahi officer (UNO). Ashiquzzaman, assistant general manager at BIWTA Mawa office, said they were now facing serious problem in continuing the ferry service. The Padma also devoured Imambari Mosque at Mawa terminal Sunday night, he informed. A number of dwelling houses near the terminal are also threatened, he added. Ashiquzzaman said, the disruption in ferry service is causing immense suffering to the commuters of 21 southern districts. Hundreds of vehicles got stranded on both ends of the river and the authorities had advised the vehicles to use Daulatdia-Paturia route instead of Mawa-Kawrakandi. The authorities on October 9 suspended ferry terminal No. 2 after a portion of it went into the river. Ferry services through the terminal was also suspended the next day. However, the operation resumed after eight hours following repair work. But the attempt to save the terminal proved futile as it totally disappeared into Padma on Sunday night. Earlier the river washed away the nearby parking yard on October 4. While visiting the terminal area yesterday, this correspondent saw the shop owners there hurriedly shifting their belongings to safer places in fear of erosion.
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