Ferry services on the Kathalbari-Shimulia route have been suspended since late on Saturday due to poor navigability on the Padma river, affecting vehicles from 21 southern districts and resulting in long tailbacks.
Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) Kathalbari station’s Manager Salam Hossain said ferries have been halted since 11pm on Saturday.
He said that dredging of the river continued and that they advise vehicles to use the Paturia-Doulatdia ferry service.
More than 800 vehicles have been stranded on the banks of the Padma on the Kathalbari-Shimulia route, according to Hossain.
In an effort to check the navigability, BITWA authorities early morning on Sunday operated a ferry from the Kathalbari landing station carrying about 1,000 people but no vehicles.
However, it struck a submerged sandbar on the river’s Louhajang turning point. After an hour, it managed to float once again, but the ferry’s engine broke down. It has been anchored on mid-river since then.
BIWTA authorities said tugboats have been sent to salvage the vessel.
The ferry service suspension caused a huge number of passengers crowded at the launch terminal on Kathalbari- Simulia route, witnesses said.
In this route, a total of 87 launches and 4 hundred speedboats carry passengers.