BIWTC has asked all to use the Bangabandhu bridge after it suspended ferry service on the Paturia-Daulatdia route following damage to three landing stations (ghat) at Daulatdia terminal in Rajbari.

The ferry service on the route was suspended since 10:00am yesterday to avoid any untoward incident.

Around 500 vehicles, including bus, truck and car, remained stranded on both sides of this important route as of 9:00pm yesterday, causing immense sufferings to passengers.

However, three small ferries started transporting passengers and private cars by using landing station-3, which is partly broken, from 1:30pm, said Sheikh Mohammad Nasim, deputy general manager of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC).

Shafikul Islam, manager (commerce) of BIWTC at Daulatdia office, said three out of four landing stations were washed away while the landing station-3 was also under threat of erosion of the Padma.

The landing station-4 was damaged on July 27 due to strong current of the river. Maximum portion of approach road to the landing station-2 was broken by the erosion, according to BIWTC officials. Chairman of BIWTC Mizanur Rahman and Chairman of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (B1WTA) Commodore Mozammel Haque visited the Paturia and Daulatdia ferry terminals.

After visiting the ghat area, the BIWTC chairman said the ferry service would remain suspended until setting up alternative landing stations.

They would not take any risk, he added.

BIWTC officials blamed the BIWTA for the disruption of the ferry service.

Over two hundred letters had been

sent to the BIWTA for taking steps to set up alternative landing stations to keep ferry service normal. But the organisation did not take any initiative yet in this regard, BIWTC Deputy General Manager Nasim alleged.

Contacted, Nijam Uddin Pathan, executive engineer of BIWTA, said he had informed the higher authorities about it.

Eighteen ferries are now in operation on the Paturia-Daulatdia route.

The ferry service was hampered for consecutive 15-days since July 20 due to strong current and shortage of ferries.