Old, slow ferries at Kazirhat-Aricha waterway resulting in long tailback

Hundred of goods laden trucks are having to wait in line at Kazirhat ferry terminal every day to cross the Kazirhat-Aricha waterway as authorities have replaced two new ferries on the route with two old ones.

Due to the ban on movement of heavy vehicles through the Bangabandhu Bridge, the Kazirhat-Aricha waterway is now an important route for movement of goods laden trucks.

According to ghat sources, out of four ferries, three are currently operating on this route. Of them, two are quite old.

Mahbub Rahman, manager of Kazirhat ferry ghat told The Daily Star that, two ferries--Begum Rokeya and Begum Sufia--were taken to Mawa Ferry ghat on the first week of this month.

In place of the two new ferries, two quite old ferries--Shahjalal and Shah Makdum--were brought on this route, he said.

"Due to being old and for a lack of capacity, the two ferries take a lot of time to cross vehicles. It is not possible for more than 180 to 200 vehicles per day to cross the waterway resulting in 200 to 250 trucks being stuck on both sides of the ferry ghat everyday," he said.

When the new ferries were operating on this route, 250 to 300 vehicles could cross the route per day, he informed.

Md Zillur Rahman, deputy general manager of BIWTC said they do not have the time to think about this route.

"We have to think more about the busiest Paturia-Daulatdia passengers ferry ghat as there is a long tailback on that route," he added.