Ramification of Padma Bridge: Launches on the verge of extinction

Noman Mosharef :
After inauguration the Padma Bridge on October 25, 2022 and a massive hike in fuel prices, passenger launch services from the capital’s Sadarghat to the country’s southern region facing extinction.

As a result, the owners of the water ways have been plying their vessels following rotation system to mitigate their losses and cling to life.

On the other hand, the passengers are alleging that the launch owners are charging extra taking advantage of the rotation system. Before rotation there were different companies were in the service on the same day, now only one company.

The launch owners said we have no another way to survive except rotation.

This system is providing us a minimum scope to remain alive.

According to sector insiders, the diesel price hike hit the launch business much harder than the bridge, triggering huge losses in launch operations and forcing many owners to halt operations entirely and have their vessels scrapped.

According to most launch owners, business is on a downward spiral mainly because of the sudden rise in diesel prices.

“The bridge just cut our income by 10-25%, reducing profit, but the skyrocketing fuel price increased our operational costs by around 50%, resulting in huge loss,” said Saidur Rahaman Rintu, senior vice-president of BIWPCA and the owner of Sundarban Navigation.

In this circumstance, the launch owners had taken decision to ply launch following rotation system from July 17, 2023.

Earlier, around 200 launches had provided services on 40 different routes in the southern region from Sadarghat.

With business going for a downturn, services on many routes have stopped.

Shahidul Islam, chairman of Parabat Navigation, said some routes, including Naria, Shariatpur, Gournadi and Hularhat, have been closed down after the opening of the Padma Bridge.

Facing continuous losses, owners were forced to stop operations of some long-haul launches on other routes — of Barishal, Barguna, Bhola, Galachipa and Torki.”

“The diesel price hike led us into increasing the fares but the number of passengers decreased drastically following the move.

We were counting losses of up to Tk3.5 lakh daily with hardly 50% of our expected passengers.

Owners have no choice but to follow rotation system,” he said, adding that the launches of several companies, including Prince Awlad, Rajdhani, Shakil, and Saudia are now being scrapped.