Overcrowded launches carrying southern commuters to Dhaka

Working people from the southern region are returning to Dhaka by water transport to rejoin their workplaces after the holy Eid-ul-Fitr and Independence Day holidays.

Passenger-carrying water transports are now seen filled with travelers coming from various districts and upazilas of the southern region.

On Saturday, it was observed that every launch had been overflowing with people heading to Dhaka since the afternoon. Many launches were carrying two to three times their capacity.

At the river port, police and volunteers with microphones were making announcements to prevent additional passengers from boarding and to ensure that launches departed on time with scheduled passengers.

Hanif Sardar, a cabin passenger on the MV Sundarbans launch, said in the afternoon that the number of passengers kept increasing over time.

Another passenger, Nasreen, said, “I faced the same difficulty traveling by launch all night before Eid, and now I have to return under the same conditions.”

Towhid Hossain Shuvo, a cabin passenger on the Manami launch, said, “I had booked a semi-VIP cabin long before Eid, but it is still difficult to even step out of the cabin.”

Deck passenger and garment worker Salma Akhter said, “Earlier, I used to travel between Dhaka and Barisal for 150-200 taka, but now I have to pay 300-350 taka.”

However, launch authorities claim that they are transporting passengers at fares lower than the government-set rates.

Sundarban Navigation Managing Director Akhter Hossain Akez said, “We, the launch owners, operate at a loss throughout the year and wait for the two Eids to recover. Otherwise, we have to bear the losses.”
When asked about the increased fares, Akez said, “The government-set fare for deck passengers is 453 taka. We used to charge less than 200 taka throughout the year. Now, due to various reasons, including the oil crisis, the fare has increased to around 300 taka.”

Barishal River Port Officer Asaduzzaman said that after celebrating Eid with relatives, people began returning to their workplaces from March 23.
On Saturday, 8 to 10 launches, including two via services, were scheduled to leave for Dhaka from Barishal river port.
He also said that while a bus can carry a maximum of 40-50 passengers, a launch can transport between 2,000 and 2,500 passengers at a time.

Barishal Metropolitan Police Commissioner Shafiqul Islam said that additional police had been deployed in the Barishal river port area to ensure the safety of passengers returning to work.
Sayem, counter manager of the MV Suravi launch, said many people were calling for cabins, but Saturday’s cabins had been sold out long ago.
Muhammad Bappi, supervisor of the MV Manami launch, said that passenger pressure was higher on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday after Eid.
Nur Khan Masud, supervisor of the MV Adventure-9 launch, said that the lower deck was packed with passengers shortly after noon.
Shakil Hawlader, counter manager of the MV Sundarban launch, said there had been heavy demand for Friday and Saturday cabins even before Eid. “No broker or syndicate has any opportunity to obtain our launch tickets,” he added.
Sobahan Miah, a passenger on the M Khan-7 launch, said, “I have to go to the office tomorrow no matter what. I went to the Nathullabad bus terminal, but even after waiting for about four hours and trying hard, I could not get a bus. I will board a launch and try to manage a cabin with the help of the staff.”