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Published : 24 May 2026, 08:54 PM
Memories of a tragic ferry accident during Eid-ul-Fitr that claimed 26 lives have prompted authorities to strengthen safety protocols at Manikganj’s Paturia ferry terminal.
Officials claimed Eid journeys so far, despite a massive rush, have been smooth and hassle-free.
At 10am on Sunday, passengers and vehicles boarded ferries after a brief wait of 20 to 30 minutes.
The heightened vigilance followed an incident during the previous Eid festival when a passenger bus plunged into the river while boarding a ferry at the Daulatdia terminal.
The authorities have made it mandatory for commuters to disembark before their vehicles drive onto the vessels to cross the river.
"For the safety of the commuters, all passenger buses are required to disembark their passengers before the empty vehicles are driven onto the ferries," KM Nazrul Islam, the Paturia Naval Police in-charge, told reporters.
Additional DIG of Naval Police Jesmin Begum inspected the layout to review the security grid.
Nazrul added that 34 naval police personnel have been actively deployed across the terminal to enforce compliance and maintain order.
The Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) has also optimised its fleet to handle the holiday traffic.
Mohammad Salam Hossain, deputy general manager of BIWTC, said 17 ferries are currently operating on the Paturia-Daulatdia route, while another five are deployed on the Aricha-Kazirhat route.
Alongside regular passenger vehicles, the terminal is experiencing a heavy influx of empty, return-destination cattle trucks heading back from the capital.
Saikat Hossain, a truck driver heading back to Kushtia after unloading 16 sacrificial bulls at Dhaka's Uttara cattle market, was spotted near terminal No. 3.
"I managed to get onto the ferry after waiting for about 40 minutes. I will be heading back to Dhaka with another load of livestock tonight," he said.
Commuters have expressed relief at the orderly management.
