The pressure of homebound passengers and vehicles going to the south and south-western regions of the country has increased in Paturia Ghat area of Manikganj. Although the pressure of passengers and vehicles was normal on Friday morning, it increased in the Ghat area after noon. In addition to this, there has been increased pressure on the sacrificial animal vehicles.
During Eid, people and vehicles of 21 districts of the South and South-Western regions of the country travel through this Paturia-Daulatdia waterway. However, since the Padma Bridge was launched, the pressure of passengers and vehicles on this waterway has reduced. The pressure of passengers and vehicles increases during Eid.
According to Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) Aricha office, there is a strong current in the Padma river basin between Paturia in Manikganj and Daulatdia in Rajbari due to the increase of water in the river. Due to this, the ferry is currently taking more time than usual. Normally ferries take about half an hour to go from Paturia end to Daulatdia end. It takes a bit longer for the launches to move against this current. It takes 20 to 25 minutes to travel from Paturia to Daulatdia end under normal conditions. However, due to the current, the ferries now take 35 to 40 minutes as they travel about a kilometer upstream. Apart from this, the pontoons of the ghats on both banks have been raised to the mid water level (middle level) to raise the water in the river.
This time on the occasion of Eid, passengers and vehicles are being crossed by 18 ferries on this waterway. Three out of 5 ghats are operational at Paturia end. At Paturia, ferry vehicles and passengers are plying through ghats 3, 4 and 5. Apart from this, three ghats numbered 3, 5 and 7 are operational in Daulatdia.
On the ground, it was seen at Paturia launch and ferry ghat from morning to afternoon, Eid homebound passengers from neighboring areas including Dhaka and Gazipur are coming to the old truck terminal near Paturia ghat by local bus. After walking about half a kilometer, the passengers are going to Paturia launch ghat with the goods. After collecting the tickets, the passengers go to the launch. Again, some of the passengers are going to the ferry by easybikes, rickshaws. Then crossing the Paturia-Daulatdia waterway by ferry, going towards their respective destinations. However, the pressure of passengers on the launch is more than that of the ferry. Members of Naval Police, BIWTA and Fire Service are seen on duty to prevent excess passengers from being carried on the launch.
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According to Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWT) Aricha office, 34 launches have been kept ready on Paturia-Daulatdia and Aricha-Kazirhat waterways. Out of this, 22 launches at Paturia and 12 at Aricha will be used to ferry passengers. Apart from this, there are 48 speedboats plying passengers on the Aricha-Kazirhat route. However, launch and speedboat movement will be stopped at night.
Meanwhile, the passenger buses board the ferry shortly after arriving at the ghat area. These passenger buses are crossing through ghat number 3 and 4. Apart from this, many of the passengers are going to their village home on Eid in various private vehicles such as private cars, microbuses and motorcycles. Due to this, these vehicles are also under pressure in the ghat area. But without suffering these cars are crossing the river by ferry.
Abdul Gani (40) of Chandpur village in Kumarkhali upazila of Kushtia works in a garment factory in Jamgra area of Ashulia near Dhaka. This morning he came to Paturia’s Launch Ghat with his wife and two children to go home to the village. He said, ‘You have to work all year round. I go home only on two Eids of the year. I’m going again. But this time we did not have to suffer by coming to the road and the ghat.’
Shahjahan Ali (55), a passenger of the Golden Line Paribahan bus bound for Faridpur at the Ghat No. 4 area of Paturia around 4 pm said that earlier he had to wait for hours after arriving at the Ghat. Since the construction of the Padma Bridge, this ghat has now reduced that suffering. Shortly after arriving at the ghat, their bus boarded the ferry.
BIWTC Aricha Office Deputy General Manager (Trade) Shah Md. Khaled Newaz told Prothom Alo that the pressure of passengers and vehicles has slightly increased since noon today. However, due to sufficient number of ferries, passengers and vehicles are crossing the waterway immediately after arriving at the ghat.