Vehicles stranded as vital ferry terminal in Bhola goes under water

Ferry services at Bhola’s Ilisha ghat, a ferry terminal, have been hampered for the last three days as both its pontoons and a gangway were submerged by the tidal surge caused by a prevailing depression in the Bay of Bengal, affecting transport workers, truckers, workers and passengers.

Hundreds of vehicles cross the river on five ferries on the Bhola-Laxmipur river route every day. 

There are two separate platforms at Ilisha Ghat on the Bhola-Laxmipur route. One is a low-water ghat and the other is a high-water ghat.

The transport workers said the ghat area is submerged in the afternoon triggered by the low over the Bay of Bengal. As a result, they have to suffer a lot to cross the river and sometimes it can take 3-4 hours to board the ferry.

A number of vehicles remained stranded on both sides of the river in Bhola and Laxmipur, waiting to cross the river for the past three days.

Atikuzzaman, assistant manager of Bhola-Laxmipur ferry route, said the ferry services remained suspended during the tidal surge and the loading and unloading work started during the ebb-tide.

Shahidul Islam, an officer of Bhola River port, said the engineers from Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) will visit the spot on Sunday and take necessary steps in this regard.