Thousands crowd Shimulia terminal to reach Dhaka in pandemic

Thousands of travellers from the southern districts have gathered at Munshiganj’s Shimulia ferry terminal to make their way towards Dhaka after the end of Eid holidays amid coronavirus fears.

The Kathalbari-Shimulia route saw increased traffic on Thursday morning. A huge number of people crossed the Padma River on ferries without paying heed to social distancing or health rules.

Passengers and vehicles were transported along the route using 10 ferries. However, six more were unable to operate due to river currents.

Thousands of people have been coming to Shimulia with their families from Kathalbari since morning but they are not following hygiene rules, said AGM Md Shafiqul Islam of BIWTC Shimulia ferry terminal. 

“The warning signal No. 2 in the Padma has been lifted on Thursday morning. Although the currents were not as strong as yesterday, it was still a bit unsteady. Weather was also windy.”

"The 10 ferries are operating very carefully. It is taking more time for the ferries to come and go because of the river currents. We are trying to make the crossing smooth. There is also a small ferry in standby which will be used in case of emergency.”

Meanwhile, the passengers were not able to get any public transport after getting down at the Shimulia ferry terminal.

Many of them were seen leaving for their destinations in small cars, autorickshaws, motorbikes and even in pickups or trucks. They were forced to pay several times more as a result. Some unlucky ones did not manage to get any transport at all and decided to walk to their destination.

"We are working for the safety of our passengers but they are not listening. No-one has patience. They are rushing towards their destinations in different vehicles. However, we are continuing with our efforts,” said Sirajul Kabir, chief of Mawa River Police Station.