Heavy vehicles (passenger and goods-laden) are not allowed on the ferries plying on the Shimulia in Munshiganj and the Banglabazar in Madaripur route until the strong current of the Padma River is brought under control.
Only light vehicles (private cars, ambulances and microbuses) can be carried on the ferries on the river routes to avert accidents during bad weather in the Padma River, according to a shipping ministry statement issued on Tuesday.
As an alternative, heavy vehicles (passenger and freight) will run on the ferry route from Paturia in Manikganj to Daulatdia in Rajbari and Harina in Chandpur to Alubazar in Shariatpur.
This instruction will be effective from today (Tuesday), the ministry statement said.
This decision was taken at a meeting at the Bangladesh Secretariat.
State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury and top officials of the ministry, Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) and Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) were present during the meeting.
