Dense fog across country, Padma ferry services disrupted

Dense fog has disrupted road transport and river navigation across the country.

Vehicles are moving slowly due to poor visibility. Ferry crossings remained suspended for six hours at two key terminals connecting Dhaka and the south.

Consequently, people on leave for the combined weekly and Christmas holidays were stuck in the cold.

A thick blanket of fog halted ferry services on the Shimulia-Kawrakandi route around 4:30am, and crossings at the Daulatdia-Paturia terminal stopped around 4:45am on Friday.

As a result, nearly a thousand vehicles were stuck on both sides of the four piers of the river Padma.

Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) manager at Daulatdia dock Shafiqul Islam told bdnews24.com that the ferry services had been suspended to avoid accidents, as river marking points and beacons were not visible.

Meanwhile, eight ferries of Shimulia-Kawrakandi route and four of Daulatdia-Paturia were stuck along the routes.

The ferry service of the Daulatdia-Paturia resumed around 10:15 am, Shafiqul said.

BIWTC’s Shimulia pier manager Sirajul Haque said the Shimulia-Kawrakandi services resumed soon after that.

According to the data provided by the Bangladesh Meteorological Department, the sun rose at 6:39am but could not be seen until 10:30am.

A light cold wave has hit Rajshahi, Pabna, Jessore, Kushtia and Srimangal and it may continue, weather reports said.

Dense and moderate cold wave with a speed of six to 12 km per hour from the south and south-west hit the river basins.

According to weather forecast, it may rain in the next five days.

On Thursday, the minimum temperature, 8.3 degrees Celsius, was recorded in Chuadanga, while the minimum temperature in Dhaka was 15 degrees Celsius.