Bangladesh deploys border guards to control Eid travel rush in COVID lockdown

The authorities have deployed Border Guard Bangladesh or BGB at Shimulia and Paturia river ports to control a rush of travellers who are defying a coronavirus lockdown to return home ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr.

The members of the force stood guard at the ferry terminals on Saturday night after the home ministry approved the district administration’s request, said Maj Gen Md Shafeenul Islam, director general of BGB.

Thousands of travellers gathered at the ferry terminals defying pandemic restrictions and braving fear of deadly infections on Saturday, although the authorities decided to halt daytime services.   

With the law enforcers struggling to control the situation, the authorities allowed the ferries to leave the piers at one stage of the commotion.

The sudden shutdown of ferries has caused immense sufferings to travellers. A long tailback of vehicles has formed in the terminal area.

Shafiqul Islam, an assistant general manager of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation, said they decided to allow five ferries to transport vehicles in daytime after consultation with the district administration and the police.

Md Moniruzzaman Talukder, deputy commissioner of Munshiganj district, said the BGB also set up a check-post near Dhaleswari bridge.

No vehicle was being allowed to cross the bridge without emergency reasons.

The shutdown of public transport has led to travellers paying extra for short trips to cross a long distance while some chose to walk to the ports.

Heading back was not an option for many of the travellers, who had been stranded at the pier due to the suspension of ferry services, because they did not have the money for transport. Many were staying in the terminal area and suffering in the sweltering heat. 

There is no crossing of the Padma river as launches, speedboats and ferries are shut, said Shafiqul. Besides, the authorities and the river police are keeping a close watch on the proceedings.

In the morning, people were seen trying to cross the river by fishing trawlers. But the administration stopped them and told the people to go back.

Though long-haul buses are not operating during the lockdown, buses can still operate within their own districts. People are piling into smaller transports, like freight trucks or pick-ups, to make their way from Dhaka to Shimulia or Paturia to cross the Padma to head home to the southern districts.

Massive crowds of people were gathered on the ferry pier on Friday morning, defying the coronavirus fears and lockdown to make their way home for the holiday.

Thousands of people were taking the ferries on foot, while freight trucks and other vehicles were stuck on the other side of the river.

All 87 launches on this river route have ceased operating due to the lockdown, BIWTC official Shafiqul said. About 450 speedboats and several hundred trawlers have also halted operations since the speedboat crash in Madaripur’s Shibchar.

These put all the pressure on the ferries.

In addition, three of the 16 ferries on the Shimulia-Banglabazar route are inoperable so it has been difficult to cope with the crowds with only 13 ferries running, Shafiqul said.