A long-cherished dream of Kutubdia residents has finally come true. A new chapter of modern communication has begun for the island with the launch of sea-truck operations on the Magnama–Kutubdia route.
Locals and officials expressed hope that, alongside easing travel for islanders, the service will boost tourism and economic activities.
According to the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA), the sea-truck, with a capacity of 200 passengers, will depart Magnama Ghat daily at 9am, 2pm, and 7pm for Kutubdia. From Kutubdia, it will leave for Magnama Ghat at 7:30am, 12pm, and 5pm.
The initial fare has been set at Tk 30 per passenger.
Brigadier General (retd) M Sakhawat Hossain, adviser to the Ministry of Shipping, formally inaugurated the service at Magnama Ghat in Pekua. The launch of the sea-truck service has brought excitement to people across Kutubdia Island.
Kutubdia, a densely populated island upazila rising from the Bay of Bengal, spans 216 square kilometres and is home to nearly 2,00,000 people. For decades, travel to and from the island relied solely on wooden boats, trawlers, Danish boats, and speedboats. The main gateway connecting Kutubdia’s Baraghop and Darbar ghats with the mainland has been Magnama Ghat in Pekua.
Every day, islanders, government and private officials, and tourists cross the five-kilometre Kutubdia Channel of the Bay of Bengal. The journey becomes particularly risky when the sea is rough, especially during the monsoon. Against this backdrop, locals had long demanded safe vessels and sea-truck services on the route.
Adviser Sakhawat Hossain travelled to Kutubdia by sea-truck after the inauguration. He announced that arrangements would soon be made to introduce ferry services from Magnama Ghat to Kutubdia, while warning against politicising issues surrounding the ghat.
The service will not only ensure safe communication for island residents but also positively impact tourism and the local economy. However, community leaders stressed the need for ferry services to guarantee long-term, round-the-clock communication.
Journalist Md Abul Kashem said, “The sea-truck will make travel easier and safer, but a permanent solution requires the immediate launch of a ferry.”
