Staff Reporter :
A large number of people gathered at Aricha and Paturia ferry terminals on Friday aim to reach the capital amid the ongoing restrictions on public movement.
After coming from different south-western districts, these people suffered immensely to find any transport to reach their destinations including Gabtoli in Dhaka, Nabinagar, Ashulia, Savar, Hemayetpur and Gazipur.
They crowded not only in cars, microbuses, motorcycles and three-wheeler auto rickshaws but also on pickup vans by paying even eight to 10 times higher fares.
No social distances were maintained on ferries and in these transports while many even did not wear masks.
Since the beginning of the current ‘strict’ restrictions from July 23, movement of passengers on foot and private vehicles was not stopped by ferries on the River Padma.
Hundreds of Dhaka-bound people were seen travelling by ferries on Daulatdia-Paturia and Kazirhat-Aricha channels since Friday morning.
Some of them also came by trawlers defying the ban.
Most of these people were workers of different factories, including the readymade garments.
Officials of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation said that the pressure of workers on ferries was huge since the reopening of all export-oriented factories from August 1 but the pressure later reduced slightly.
The number of Dhaka-bound people again increased on ferries from Friday, they added.
Shahidul Islam, a resident of Ishwardi in Pabna, said that he was returning Dhaka as he would have to join his work at a private company on Sunday.
‘The car drivers are charging Tk 1,000 and CNG-run auto-rickshaws are charging Tk 700 to go to Gabtoli from Aricha,’ he said, adding, ‘I cannot afford this. So how can I go now?’
BIWTC Aricha regional office Deputy General Manager Md Zillur Rahman said that eight ferries on Paturia-Daulatdia and three ferries on Aricha-Kazirhat channels were running on the day.
Though they were instructed to carry only emergency services vehicles, they were also carrying passenger vehicles and passengers as they were forcing to get on ferries, he added.
