Fog halts Paturia-Daulatdia, Aricha-Kazirhat ferry services

Three ferries wre stranded mid-river on Sunday morning and over 300 vehicles, mostly cargo trucks,were waiting at the four river ghats to cross. Photo-UNB.

Hundreds of vehicles stranded at terminals

Manikganj, Jan 5 -Ferry services have been suspended on Paturia-Daulatdia and Aricha-Kazirhat water routes due to dense fog.

Three ferries-Khan Jahan Ali, Birshreshtha Jahangir and Baigar are currently stranded mid-river and over 300 vehicles, mostly cargo trucks, are waiting at the four river ghats to cross.

Nasir Chowdhury, Deputy General Manager of the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC), informed that fog intensity began increasing after sunset on the Aricha-Kazirhat route.

By 11:30pm, the fog had thickened to the point where it completely covered the entire waterway. As a result, the channel’s beacon lights became unclear, and the ferry service was suspended to prevent accidents, he said.

At the time, the Khan Jahan Ali Ro-Ro ferry, carrying passengers and vehicles, got stuck mid-river. Three other ferries—Chitra, Krishani, and Shah Ali-are stranded at the Aricha terminal, while Dhanshiri has been held at the Kazirhat terminal.

Meanwhile, at around 1am, the Paturia-Daulatdia route was also closed due to the dense fog. Two ferries, Birshreshtha Jahangir and Baigar, are currently stuck in the middle of the river. A total of eight ferries are now stranded at the Paturia and Daulatdia terminals.

As a result of the ferry suspension, more than 300 vehicles, including cargo trucks, private cars, and microbuses, are waiting at both terminals for clearance. - UNB