Following intense public outcry on social media, political pressure, and administrative intervention, speedboat owners on the Chittagong-Sandwip route resumed operations on Wednesday at government-fixed fares after a two-day strike.
Locals, however, view the recent standoff as more than a mere “fare dispute,” describing it as a blatant manifestation of a long-standing naval syndicate, a lack of accountability, and the helplessness of people living in isolated island regions.
On 12 May, the government issued a circular setting new fares for 44 waterways across the country, fixing the rate for the Chittagong-Sandwip route at Tk260 per passenger. Previously, passengers were being charged up to Tk300, despite the older government-mandated fare being Tk250.
Immediately following the announcement of the new fare, speedboat owners abruptly suspended operations, claiming it was impossible to conduct business at the revised rate. This decision effectively took the lives of Sandwip residents hostage.
Approximately 30 speedboats from three organisations operate on the Guptachhara-Kumira route, the primary gateway to Sandwip. Under favourable weather conditions, nearly 5,000 passengers travel this route daily, with 80 per cent relying on speedboats to save time.
Students, professionals, patients, and traders are all dependent on this waterway.
The suspension left hundreds of people stranded at the ghats. Many were unable to reach Chittagong for emergency medical treatment, while others missed work or faced uncertainty regarding examinations.
This sparked an explosion of anger on social media, with locals alleging the strike was not a sudden decision but a calculated tactic to pressure the government and maintain exorbitant fares.
The term “syndicate” has resonated throughout the community. Sadik Khan, an expatriate, alleged in several posts that a specific group has controlled the route for years, preventing the development of alternative transport or fair fare structures.
According to residents, the lack of effective competition means passengers have no real choice but to submit to the owners’ decisions.
While unannounced syndicates are common on various Bangladesh waterways, the situation in Sandwip is particularly sensitive as the island remains cut off from the mainland, making water transport a fundamental necessity rather than just a business.
The backlash on Facebook saw residents tagging everyone from the local lawmaker to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. Suja Uddaula Sajib, president of the Sandwip Upazila Chhatra Dal, reported the matter to the national emergency service, 999, and urged a public protest.
Nijhum Khan, President of the Sandwip Upazila unit of Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal, threatened a formal movement. Within hours, the local issue became the focus of intense political and administrative pressure.
Many locals believe the administration would not have acted so swiftly without the massive social media reaction.
The situation shifted on Wednesday afternoon when Sandwip Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Amjad Hossain led a team of administrative officials, political leaders, and social activists to Guptachhara Ghat.
The owners were forced to resume services at the government rate of Tk260. UNO Amjad Hossain stated, “Owners had stopped speedboats citing business losses at the government fare, but the administration has compelled them to operate at the fixed rate.”
However, significant questions remain regarding why administrative pressure was required to implement government orders and what regulatory bodies were doing previously.
Local journalist Omar Faisal noted that Sandwip’s maritime woes – including irregular services, insecurity, poor ghat management, and passenger harassment – have persisted for years.
In a video posted to Facebook, Forkan Uddin Rizvi alleged that the dependence of islanders is being used as a business weapon.
Mohammad Amjad Hossain, coordinator of the Amra Sandwipbasi organisation, argued that a permanent solution requires more than just fixing fares; it necessitates ensuring effective competition, introducing digital ticketing, fare monitoring, and strict oversight to break the syndicate.
Nasrin Akter Lucky, a central leader of Gono Odhikar Parishad, emphasised that the waterway is the only bridge to survival for Sandwip’s people. She questioned whose side the state is on if such a vital link remains subject to the whims of influential groups.
