Dense fog disrupts ferry service on Paturia, Aricha routes

Manikganj Correspondent :

Due to winter and thick fog, Paturia-Daulatdia, Aricha-Kazirhat route ferries, launches, cargo, boats, speed boats and transports in Dhaka-Aricha highway and connecting roads were severely disrupted severely.
Ferry authority BIWTC Aricha Sector DGM Khaled Newaz said that when the fog gradually thickened on Wednesday evening, the ferry service was stopped around 9 pm. Two ferries on the Paturia-Daulatdia route and one on the Aricha Kazir Hat route got stuck in the middle of the river due to dense fog. Ferry traffic was normalized around 9:30 am on Thursday. As a result, queues of vehicles waiting to board at those ports become long and passengers suffer in general.
It is to be noted that from December 9 to yesterday Thursday, the ferry was closed for 63 hours in eight rounds on these two routes in 25 days. As a result, movement of goods-laden cargo on the 250 km waterway from Mawa to Chilmari in Aricha sector was severely disrupted.
According to the consumers, due to dense fog and shipping crisis, many cargoes loaded with fertilizer, cement, oil, stone, etc. from various ports including Chittagong, Narayanganj, Mongla are getting delayed to reach their destinations up to Mawa, Aricha, Kazirhat, Nagarbari, Baghabari, Balashi, Daikhawa, Chilmari.
Meanwhile, people of different ages including women and children are suffering from cold, cough, fever, dysentery and diarrhea due to the effect of thick fog and winter. The face of the sun is seen in the middle of the day.