Repeated ferry collisions with Padma Bridge will be probed: Quader

Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader reiterated that the government would probe whether the repeated ferry collisions with the pillars of the Padma Bridge took place due to the incompetence of the ferry masters or those might be acts of sabotage.

He came up with the remark while visiting the Padma Bridge in Maya area of Munshiganj on Friday afternoon.

Quader, also the Awami League General Secretary, said: “It would be our mistakes if we avoid the repeated incidents of ferry collisions with the Padma Bridge thinking those were mere accidents occurred due to incompetence of their masters.”

“We have to probe the incidents to know whether there was any conspiracy or sabotage. I would tell the army (personnel) that the matter needs to be closely monitored,” he said.

The minister said the committee concerned will consider relocation of Shimulia or Banglabazar ferry ghat to avoid such incidents and it will hold a meeting in this regard this evening.

Bridges Division Secretary Md Abu Bakr Siddique, Project Director of Padma Bridge Project Md Shafiqul Islam and Chairman of the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) Commodore Golam Sadeq, among others, accompanied the minister during the visit.