Plying of ferries with heavy vehicles under Padma Bridge suspended

GBNews24 Desk//

The authorities have suspended movement of ferries carrying heavy vehicles on Banglabazar-Shimulia route because of strong current in the River Padma.

“Only ferries loaded with light vehicles can ply under the Padma Bridge on the route with effect from Tuesday,” said State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury.

The state minister informed this while talking to journalists at the Secretariat on Tuesday, hours after collision of another ferry with a pillar of Padma Bridge.

“We’re very embarrassed. Unfortunately ferries collided (with the bridge) twice. Ferry movement became risky on Shimulia-Banglabazar route due to strong current in the river,” he said.

Khalid Mahmud informed that big ferries won’t be allowed on the route until the intensity of current reduces.

Passenger vehicles will have to use Paturia-daulatdia ghat while goods-laden ones to use Harinaghat in Chandpur, he added.

Ro Ro ferry ‘Bir Srestho Jahangir’ crashed into pillar no-10 of the Padma Bridge in Munshiganj on Monday night, leaving five people injured.

Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) has suspended two staff of the ferry and formed a five-member committee, headed by BIWTA Director (technical) Md Rashedul Islam, to probe the incident.

Earlier, on July 23, Ro Ro ferry ‘Shahjalal’ crashed into the 18th pillar of the Padma Bridge. At least 20 passengers of the ferry were injured. Two people including Abdur Rahman, the inland master of the ferry, were dismissed immediately after the incident.