Poor visibility caused by dense fogs disrupted ferry movements for 11.30 hours on Aricha-Kazirhat and 9 hours on Paturia- Daulatdia routes early Sunday, Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) Paturia Ghat officials said.
"Dense fog blanketed the Aricha-Kazirhat river routes on the river Jamuna, forcing us to suspend the ferry movements at 9.30 pm on Saturday. The services were resumed 11.15 hours later at 8.45 am today (Sunday)," BIWTC's deputy general manager Shah Mohammad Khaled Newaz said.The ferry movement was suspended in Paturia-Daulatdia rout on the Padma from 9.30 am to 6.30 am, DGM added.
The official said eight ferries were stranded at Paturia Ghat, three at Daulatdia Ghat and two in the midstream of the Padma river in Paturia-Daulatdia route with vehicles and passengers during the period, while one ferry Begum Rokeya was anchored in the middle of the Jamuna on Aricha-Kazirhat route and other ferries were at Aricha and Kazirhat Ghat.
Officials said the fog simultaneously forced suspension of movement of other vessels like engine-run country boats and launches both the river routes.
They said the visibility largely returned at about 6.30 am in Paturia-Daulatdia route and 8.45 am at Aricha-Kazirhat route.
BIWTC, DGM Newaz said the ferry movement is normal at Paturia-Daulatdia route as there was no rush of vehicles, but a lot of vehicles were waiting in queue at Kazirhat Ghat.
