Roads under water, transporting rice from haor at risk

Due to continuous heavy rain and flooding over several days, the ferry ghat at Chamta River Port in Karimganj, Kishoreganj, has turned into a risky waterway.

Local businessmen said that since the ferry ghat road was submerged, minor accidents have been occurring almost every day. When tractors or trolleys loaded with paddy get stuck on the unpaved road, ferry movement is disrupted for hours, causing severe suffering to farmers and traders.

They said, “If this continues for a few more days, a major accident could occur. If a paddy-laden vehicle overturns, not only crops but also lives could be lost.”

As the ferry pontoon road is submerged under about two feet of water, all types of vehicles, including trucks and tractors loaded with paddy, are forced to cross at extreme risk.

However, the transportation of Boro paddy from the haor cannot be stopped, as this ferry ghat has now become the only lifeline for thousands of farmers in the haor region.

Roads and Highways Department (RHD) Executive Engineer of Kishoreganj Division, Shakil Mohammad Faisal, told The New Nation that, “Usually, the pontoon road does not submerge at this time. But this year, such a situation has arisen due to unusual rainfall and terrain conditions.

Ferry operations are suspended in different parts of the country in such situations. However, this is the peak season for transporting Boro paddy in Kishoreganj, so ferry services cannot be stopped. The pontoon cannot be relocated due to low water depth.”

Chamta River Port is one of the most important communication routes between the mainland of Kishoreganj and the haor areas during the dry season.

The ferry plays a vital role in transporting rice from Itna, Mithamoin, and Austagram, especially during the Boro harvest season. The submerged ferry road has increased the suffering of farmers and other road users.

Haor farmers and other concerned people said that while they are struggling to bring home their hard-earned harvest, the administration is also helpless in the face of the situation. As a result, every ferry crossing at Chamta River Port has now become a risky operation.

Their only demand is to ensure quick and safe crossing arrangements so that both lives and crops are protected.

Truck driver Abdur Rashid, who brought rice from Itna, said, “When I got off the ferry, I could not tell which was the road and which was a pothole. If I swerved slightly, the vehicle would get stuck in the mud. I struggled to get through safely.”

Saidur Rahman, a farmer from the Barabari area of Itna, said, “The paddy harvesting season has begun, but the ferry road is submerged. Sometimes the wheels of vans get stuck. Despite the risk, we are forced to transport paddy. However, if the ferry service stops, we will be ruined.”

Karimganj’s Sutarpara Union Parishad (UP) Chairman Kamal Hossain said that although the port falls under his union, it is managed by the Roads and Highways Department (RHD).

Therefore, he has limited authority to act. However, he stressed that if the ferry ghat is not repaired urgently, farmers in the haor area will suffer heavy losses.

Meanwhile, there are no warning signboards, safety measures, or traffic control systems in the ferry area. As a result, hundreds of vehicles are moving at risk every day.

A long queue of vehicles can be seen at the ferry ghat of Chamta River Port.

Tractors loaded with paddy are getting off the ferry and navigating the unpaved, submerged road with guesswork. In some places, wheels are getting stuck in mud, while in others, trolleys are tilting.

Drivers and passengers are crossing in panic, and farmers are suffering the most. They have called for urgent intervention from the administration during the harvesting season.