The Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) suspended operation of all types of vessels on the Shimulia-Banglabazar-Majhikandi river routes from 6.30 pm to 6.30 am until further notice to avoid accidents.
To this effect, an official order has been issued on Monday banning the operation of all types of river vessels in the Padma river, Md Rafiqul Islam, director, Maritime safety and traffic management at BIWTA headquarters, told The Financial Express.
This is also a precautionary measure to prevent the accidents in the river route as different ferries rammed into various pillars of the Padma bridge, he also said.
In this case, all passenger vessels operating on this route will be able to operate from 6.30 am to 6.30 pm unless further instructions are given to avoid accidents, he pointed out.
Citing the notification, no passenger vessels will be able to leave the ghats (terminal) after 6.30 pm, Rafiqul added.
On August 13, a ferry named 'Kakoli' on the way to Shimulia terminal from Banglabazar, slammed into a pillar of the under-construction Padma Bridge.
The ferry ‘Kakoli’, which was on the way to Shimulia Ghat from Banglabazar, hit pillar number 10 a little after 7 am on Friday, said Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) Marine Safety and Traffic Management Department Assistant Director Shahadat Hossain.
On August 09, the ferry named 'Bir Shreshtha Jahangir' rammed into pillar number 10 of the Padma bridge. Two cars and a truck on the ferry were damaged after the accident.
On July 23, a ferry hit pillar number 17 of the Padma Bridge plying the same route.