Barisal Correspondent :
Heavy rush of Eid passengers returning from native area to working places specially in Dhaka has made Barisal Port area crowded on Saturday.
Many private launch passengers missed their trips as overloaded vessels forced to leave the port two to three hours earlier than scheduled time and later boarded on BIWTC vessels.
Fifteen triple-deck launches and two steamers left Barisal for Dhaka on Saturday evening and night.
Md. Shahidullah, Deputy Director, Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) and Barisal River Port officer said as per their assumptions more than four lakh passengers arrived Barisal trough waterways to observe Eid and Puja vacations this year.
A large number of Eid passengers left Barisal on October 7 and 8 to avoid heavy rush. But as many vacationers took leave for Thursday to add two-day weekly holiday, so the rush of Dhaka-bound passengers mostly seen on Friday and Saturday, he added.
Barisal Port Officer Md. Shahidullah said a control room opened at the terminal to monitor the situation.
Dipak Kumar Roy, Administrtive Magistrate, Mizanur Rahman, Assistant Commissioner of river traffic police, with huge numbers of police, armed battalions and RAB engaged in duty to tackle the situation.
Volunteers of Bangladesh Girl Guides association helped the port authourity for safe boarding of female, children and old-aged passengers on due vessels.
Cabin passengers of the launches requested to take seat from 3:00 PM, the 5-6 hours before the scheduled time, as the port authority asked the overloaded launches to leave the station two to three hours before the scheduled time.
Saidur Rahman Rintu, vice president of Barisal launch owners association, acknowledging the facts said capacity of each of the 15 triple-deck launches plying on regular and special Eid service on Barisal-Dhaka-Barisal river route was limited from 750 to 1,240 passengers per-launch.
However those plied on Friday and Saturday night with 2,500-4000 passengers on board with great risk and dangers for the transport, life and properties of the owners and passengers, Rintu acknowledged.
Huge number of passengers even after reaching at the port within regular time scheduled for departure of Dhaka bound water transports, failed to board on the vessels as law enforcing agency ordered to sail overloaded launches 2/3 hours earlier for safety and security of the passengers, some passengers alleged.
Shahida Sultana, member of a 47-member team of garment workers, said they took the risk of boarding on overloaded launches as there was no alternative which has the lowest fare and easiest journey without affecting working hour.
Mahmudul Huq, a govt. official came Barisal ghat with all the eight members of his family from Mehendiganj upazila said Sunday would be his working day and so he managed some narrow space on the deck of Parabat-11 by paying Tk.200 to a space-preserver.
Hudhud :small water transport operation restricted
Preparation to face affect of upcoming cyclone Hudhud in Barisal region going on. River port authourities all ready restricted passenger carrier small water transport operation from the ports of the region since Saturday noon.
Abdur Rashid, deputy director, Cyclone Preparedness Programme (CPP) of Bangladesh Red Crescent Society Barisal unit, said 49,365 volunteers under 3, 291 units in 37 coastal upazilas of 13 districts asked to remain on full alert to face any situation related with upcoming cyclone Hud Hud.
Coastal people would also be asked through the loudspeaker announcements to take safe shelters at cyclone shelters after the weather department will increase weather warning signal to no. 4. CPP maintaining regular wireless contacts with their units on different shore, off shore, coastal islands and shoals.
They informed that conditions of river estuaries and sea were very rough with squally weather, high waves and strong tides and gusty winds since morning.
Coastal areas hoisted weather signal no.3 at Paira marine port and surrounding areas of Kalapara coast.
