MV Bangali, the newly added passenger steamer on Dhaka-Barisal route via Chandpur introduced after long 75 years under the management of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) missed the time schedule on its first trip.
Agitated passenger sources said, the vessel left Dhaka Sadar Ghat at 10:30 pm instead of scheduled 8:30 pm on Thursday night for Barisal via Chandpur and also reached Barisal about three-hour late at about 9:00 am Friday.
Gopal Chandra Majumdar, Assistant General Manager, BIWTC Barisal station, failed to give details about the numbers of incoming passengers as they were very much busy with VVIP guests, but said 325 out of 550 deck passengers came to Barisal.
However, he told that all cabins were filled on both ways and MV Bangali left Barisal for Dhaka via Chandpur in scheduled time at 8:30 pm Friday with 370 deck passengers.
Number of passengers will increase in future by improving service and maintaining regular time schedule, Md. Shahidullah, Barisal river port officer and deputy director BIWTA official hoped. On other hand, passengers alleged that master and crews of the vessel were inefficient and inexperienced to run the vessel on this route and give proper services to the passengers.
Selim Ahmed, one of the passengers of the vessel traveled on first trip, alleged the delay of sailing from Dhaka was caused as shipping minister traveled on this ship delayed to board on due time.
They lost the direction at the estuary of Meghna near Chandpur, which also caused delay and endangered the passengers, he added.
If such kinds of irregularities with substandard services will continue in future the vessel will fail to attracted passengers, the sufferer passengers told.
ABM Faruk, captain of the vessel, avoiding the late in departing Dhaka due to boarding of shipping minister, said crowd of vessels plying on this route caused to run the vessel cautiously with slow speed due to less navigability and pilot missed the direction for few minutes as the river ways were dark under suddenly covered foggy sky.
Gopal Chandra Majumdar, assistant general manager BIWTC Barisal station, acknowledging the facts of delay due to some unavoidable causes said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated new steamer service commissioning MV Bangali on March 29 to mitigate the sufferings of the people of riverine southern region.
The new vessel, built as per classical British design with local resources costing Tk 26.8 crore, has been added to the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC), aiming to improve its passenger services.
Local shipbuilding company Western Marine Shipyard Limited under a project of BIWTC built the 75.5-metre long and 12.5-metre wide vessel in 16 months.
There are 750 passenger carrying capacity with the capacity to carry 100 tonnes of goods, has a maximum speed of 11.50 nautical miles or 21.298 km per hour.
