Staff Reporter :
To ensure safe journey of holidaymakers ahead of the Eid-ul-Azha, the Shipping Ministry has called upon all the authorities concerned to take necessary steps in a coordinated and disciplined manner.
A number of directives and recommendations in this connection came up at a coordination meeting held at Bidyut Bhaban in the city with State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury in the chair on Sunday.
The meeting also decided that all trucks and covered vans, except those carrying sacrificial animals, will be stopped from using the ferries three days before and three days after the Eid-ul-Azha.
It also decided to halt operation of cargo ships and plying of bulkheads between August 9 and 15.
The state minister said, “Since the navigability of the rivers increased this year, I call upon all concerned officials to take caution to ensure safety of Eid holidaymakers.”
He also called upon all concerned authorities, including Bangladesh Police, Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority and Coast Guards, to give utmost importance to ensuring security and convenience of the passengers and
bring discipline in plying of water transports in the river routes of the country.
The minister also called upon concerned authorities to bring discipline in the plying of tankers, launches, and coaster barges on river routes.
The meeting decided that stern steps will be taken against launch owners if they charge extra fare from the passengers. All crew-member of launches must be on board before taking in passengers. No launch would be allowed to ply if it is overloaded with passengers or goods.
It also decided to deployment of patrol police force to prevent incidents of mugging, extortion and harassment of passengers and workers, and of Coast Guard personnel so that passengers cannot get on board launches in the mid-river.
The decisions also include deployment of vigilance teams by the local administrations in the terminal areas to ensure safety of passengers;
Keeping the road from Sadarghat Terminal to Bahadur Shah Park in the capital free of hawkers and traffic congestion for ease of movement of passengers ahead of Eid;
Bus, minibus, and auto-rickshaws would have to be parked at designated place instead of being randomly parked from Sadarghat terminal to Jagannath University premises. No speedboats would be allowed to operate at night. In the day, those must provide lifejackets to ensure safety of passengers while traveling;
Four wreckers will have to be deployed for the four ferry terminals at Paturia-Daulatdia and Shimulia-Kathalbari;
All fishing nets on the river routes will have to be removed for smooth passage of the launches and other modes of water transport. The passengers on the cabins of launches would have to show their National ID/photo ID and give their NID numbers/ mobile numbers to get on board; and
All river transports should carry sufficient lifebuoys and ensure lights and markings while plying the river routes.
To ensure safe journey of holidaymakers ahead of the Eid-ul-Azha, the Shipping Ministry has called upon all the authorities concerned to take necessary steps in a coordinated and disciplined manner.
A number of directives and recommendations in this connection came up at a coordination meeting held at Bidyut Bhaban in the city with State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury in the chair on Sunday.
The meeting also decided that all trucks and covered vans, except those carrying sacrificial animals, will be stopped from using the ferries three days before and three days after the Eid-ul-Azha.
It also decided to halt operation of cargo ships and plying of bulkheads between August 9 and 15.
The state minister said, “Since the navigability of the rivers increased this year, I call upon all concerned officials to take caution to ensure safety of Eid holidaymakers.”
He also called upon all concerned authorities, including Bangladesh Police, Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority and Coast Guards, to give utmost importance to ensuring security and convenience of the passengers and
bring discipline in plying of water transports in the river routes of the country.
The minister also called upon concerned authorities to bring discipline in the plying of tankers, launches, and coaster barges on river routes.
The meeting decided that stern steps will be taken against launch owners if they charge extra fare from the passengers. All crew-member of launches must be on board before taking in passengers. No launch would be allowed to ply if it is overloaded with passengers or goods.
It also decided to deployment of patrol police force to prevent incidents of mugging, extortion and harassment of passengers and workers, and of Coast Guard personnel so that passengers cannot get on board launches in the mid-river.
The decisions also include deployment of vigilance teams by the local administrations in the terminal areas to ensure safety of passengers;
Keeping the road from Sadarghat Terminal to Bahadur Shah Park in the capital free of hawkers and traffic congestion for ease of movement of passengers ahead of Eid;
Bus, minibus, and auto-rickshaws would have to be parked at designated place instead of being randomly parked from Sadarghat terminal to Jagannath University premises. No speedboats would be allowed to operate at night. In the day, those must provide lifejackets to ensure safety of passengers while traveling;
Four wreckers will have to be deployed for the four ferry terminals at Paturia-Daulatdia and Shimulia-Kathalbari;
All fishing nets on the river routes will have to be removed for smooth passage of the launches and other modes of water transport. The passengers on the cabins of launches would have to show their National ID/photo ID and give their NID numbers/ mobile numbers to get on board; and
All river transports should carry sufficient lifebuoys and ensure lights and markings while plying the river routes.
