BIWTA halts operations on water routes with cyclone Komen approaching

As cyclone Komen approaches the Chittagong coast authorities suspend operations on all water routes across the country.

Bangladesh Inland Water Transports Authority (BIWTA) has shut the plying of vessels since Wednesday night.

Ferry services run by the Roads and Highways Division in coastal districts have also been halted till further notice.
 
River port authorities in Dhaka, Chandpur, Munshiganj and Manikganj have shut operations of all small vessels, including launches. 
 
The Met office says the storm is likely to move northeast, crossing the Chittagong coast by Thursday afternoon.
 
Ports in Chittagong and Cox’s Bazar are under danger signal 7, while signal 5 has been hoisted in Mongla and Payra since Wednesday night.
 
BIWTA Director (Transport) Md Shafiqul Haque said: “The plying of vessels have been suspended since Wednesday night until further notice.” 
 
Twenty-four launches from Chandpur, Hatiya, Bhola, Barisal have anchored at the capital’s river port Thursday morning, the terminal’s Traffic Inspector Humayun Kabir 
told bdnews24.com.
 
Services from the Dhaka ports have been stopped since Wednesday night, he added.
 
In Chandpur, authorities suspended services in 18 routes, said acting Deputy Commissioner Abu Ali Md Sazzad Hossain.
 

Ferry services in Munshiganj’s Shimuliya-Kawrakandi route and Manikganj’s Paturiya-Doulatdiya , Aricha-Kajirhat routes, however, are running but plying of launches and other small vessels were halted.

Meanwhile, the road transport ministry said that ferry services in the coastal districts by the Roads and Highways Division will be suspended until further notice. 
 
It, however, said that services will be available in a limited way to facilitate evacuation and disaster management efforts. 
 
Twenty-four launches from Chandpur, Hatiya, Bhola, Barisal anchored at the capital’s river port on Thursday morning, the terminal’s Traffic Inspector Humayun Kabir 
told bdnews24.com.
 
Services from the Dhaka ports have remained suspended since Wednesday night, he added.
 
In Chandpur, the authorities suspended services in 18 routes, said acting Deputy Commissioner Abu Ali Md Sazzad Hossain.
 
Ferry services in Munshiganj’s Shimuliya-Kawrakandi route and Manikganj’s Paturiya-Doulatdiya , Aricha-Kajirhat routes, however, are running but the plying of launches and other small vessels have been halted.
 
Meanwhile, the road transport ministry said that ferry services in the coastal districts operated by the Roads and Highways Division will remain suspended until further notice. 
 
It, however, said that truncated services will be available to facilitate evacuation and disaster management efforts.