Ferry and launch services on the Lakshmipur –Bhola route are facing major disruptions as vessels get stuck on underwater shoals in the Meghna River for hours. Passengers, transport workers and cargo operators are suffering as ferries and launches can now operate only when the tide is favourable.
The Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) says around 20 shoals have emerged at different points along the route, including the Rahmatkhali and Katakhali channels, obstructing vessel movement. Cargo trucks are frequently left stranded on both banks, disrupting transportation and causing hardship for passengers and transport workers.
The 23-kilometre river route now requires vessels to cover around 31 kilometres in some cases, according to passengers and workers at Moju Chowdhury Hat terminal. A journey that previously took three hours now takes five to six hours, with vessels sometimes remaining stuck in the middle of the river for hours.
The problem has emerged over the past two months. During low tide, water levels at several points fall to around waist height, leaving ferries and cargo vessels stranded for four to five hours. They can resume their journeys only when the tide rises.
The delays also leave cargo trucks waiting for extended periods on both sides of the river, putting perishable goods, including fresh produce and food items, at risk of spoiling.
The route is an important transport link for people in 21 southern districts. Thousands of passengers and more than 200 cargo trucks and buses use it every day.
Ferry services began in April 2006 with three vessels. Four ferries currently operate on the Lakshmipur –Bhola route, while around 20 small and large launches operate on the Bhola–Barishal route.
Passengers and transport workers said a large shoal had developed in the Rahmatkhali channel, about one kilometre from Moju Chowdhury Hat terminal. New shoals have also emerged at several other points.
Bhola passenger Humayun Kabir and transport driver Maksul Alam said millions of taka were spent on dredging every year, but the problem remained unresolved. They called for proper monitoring and effective dredging to restore navigability and reduce travel delays.
Mahabubur Rahman, master of the ferry Kabeeri, said operations had become difficult because the channel entrance had narrowed and new shoals had emerged at different points.
He said ferry movements now depended on tidal conditions, forcing vessels to wait for hours before departure. In the absence of fog lights, crews were also compelled to anchor in the middle of the river for safety.
“When the tide comes in, ferries have to depart,” he said, adding that vessels sometimes got stuck on underwater shoals. He called for an urgent resolution, saying it would reduce public hardship and increase government revenue.
BIWTC officials at Moju Chowdhury Hat and Bhola’s Ilisha ferry terminals, Md Atikuzzaman and Md Kawsar, confirmed that ferry and launch departures had to be scheduled according to tidal conditions. They said irregular ferry operations were reducing government revenue and that the matter had been reported to higher authorities.
BIWTA Sub-Assistant Engineer Hazrat Hasan Nipu said dredging was being hampered by a lack of suitable locations to dump excavated soil, making it difficult to complete the work properly.
He said dredging was continuing to keep the waterway operational and that the authority was trying to deploy several additional dredging machines.
