Transport of trucks on ferries restricted for 7 days during Eid

Staff Reporter :
The government has imposed restriction on the movement of all trucks and covered vans except those carrying essential and perishable goods to cross rivers by ferries across the country for seven days beginning three days before the Eid-ul-Fitr to ensure uninterrupted vehicular movement during the holiday period.
The decision was taken at an inter-ministerial coordination meeting held at the Shipping Ministry with State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury in the chair on Thursday.
Heads of different relevant authorities and organizations attended the meeting.
While briefing media after the meeting, Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury said that only trucks carrying perishable goods will be allowed to cross ferries during the three days before and after Eid.
“The Eid will likely be celebrated on April 22. Regular trucks and covered vans will not be allowed on ferries except trucks and covered vans carrying perishable goods during the three days before and after Eid,” Khalid Mahmud added.
“The authority concerned has imposed ban on motorcycle to run on the Padma Bridge. For this reason, we are trying to other ways if we can make an alternative arrangement at Shimulia. BIWTA and BIWTC will arrange it,” he further added.
Rejecting the allegation of charging additional money for launch services during Eid, Khalid Mahmud said that such allegations are not correct. “Launch fares are fixed and passengers are charged the fixed fare during Eid.”
He also informed that the authorities also suspended movement of sand-carrying bulkheads for 10-day beginning from five days before the Eid-ul-Fitr.
Khalid Mahmud said that the meeting has also asked the authorities to ensure arrangement of additional transports during the Eid, so that passengers don’t need to suffer in the roads during travel. Same time, the authorities will arrange adequate toilet facilities for the travelers.
Huge numbers of holiday makers are used the waterways during Eid to avoid traffic jam in the highways. Besides, the cost in waterways is cheaper than the buses.
According to multiple sources, some waterways are now being suffered navigability problem as the authority concerned have been failing to conduct maintenance dredging because of fund crisis.