Yet another ferry rammed into a pillar of the under-construction Padma Bridge on way to Munshiganj'sShimulia ferry terminal from Madaripur's Banglabazar. Reports have it that no damage was done to the pier No. 10 except chipping some concrete off it. But the RO-Ro ferry Bir Shrestha Jahangir suffered cracks in its flat bottom. Fortunately for the ferry, it could somehow make it to the Shimulia terminal No.2 where the fire brigade had to be called in to handle the crisis. But this was not before a truck had tipped over two private cars as a result of the violent impact, injuring two people who had to be rushed to a hospital. Had the cracks been wider, the ferry would have sunk with 16 small vehicles and 11 trucks along with a large number of passengers on board in the midstream of the Padma, where current in this time of the monsoon is stronger than any other time.
Clearly, the channel is dangerous for ferry service. On July 21 and 23 two other ferries also hit pillars of the bridge on way to Shimulia. The first such collision also damaged the ferry without reporting injury to passengers; but it was the second collision that made screaming headlines because of the seriousness of the accident. It left more than 20 passengers injured. At that time the ferry Shahjalal developed holes at its hull but gracefully those were above the water mark and therefore it could be steered safely to the terminal. The accident prompted an investigation by an expert team which recommended shifting of one of the ferry terminals either from Banglabazar to Majhikandi or from Shimulia to the old terminal at Mawa wherefrom the terminal was shifted on account of river erosion. Meanwhile, suggestion was made for ferries to cross the bridge point between pier No. 4 and 12. The latest collision occurred within this suggested range.
Now what? In the earlier accident, the master and helmsman were suspended, what will happen to the two people in charge of the ferry involved in the latest collision? It appears, more such accidents are on the cards and in that case there will be a whole slew of suspensions. The best option is to avoid the channel altogether and revive the old ferry terminal at Mawa on an emergency basis. If bureaucratic procedures could be avoided and follow-up actions taken, the task of shifting the terminal from Shimulia to Mawa could have progressed significantly by this time.
Reportedly, three to four months will be required for any such removal. That is too long a time. By that time, perhaps there will be no need for a shift because the velocity of current will become weaker with the approach of the lean season. Of course, the depth of water will then pose a threat to movement of ferries in the old channels. By this time, however, reason dictates that the recurrence of such accidents has to be avoided by all means. Change of route is the only option. With some old facilities existing at Mawa, it could be readied even under a temporary arrangement. To its advantage, it is also a far shorter route.
