Ferry movement in the Daulatdia-Paturia river route is currently suspended because of heavy fog.

Though fog and search lights were installed for Tk 50 million, these are not working, said relevant sources.

Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) says that closure of ferry routes for hours is a regular episode during winter and, therefore, lights were included in 2015.

The master of Shah Ali ferry, Parimol Chandra Sarkar, says, “The lights only work at night to illuminate the river way though they cannot penetrate the fog too much.”

To avoid accidents resulting from dense fog, ferry services were suspended on Jan 12 between 7am and 9.30am in the morning.

During this time, five ferries were stranded mid river with a total of around three hundred vessels caught in the fog.

Many passengers often spend anxious moments in ferries that are stuck and vegetable traders are affected since they have to spend extra hours on the boats and incur higher transport costs.

GM of the marine division of BIWTC, Captain Showkat Sardar, says, “The fog lights were not practical in the Bangladeshi perspective.”

Aricha area engineer, Enamul Huq Opu, told Bangla Tribune, “A high powered committee has been formed and a report has already been submitted but no steps have been taken as yet.”