Rocket steamer ghat in Chandpur lies abandoned for two years — FE photo CHANDPUR, Apr 07: People have been suffering much for the suspension of the services of rocket steamers plying from Chandpur to Dhaka and several southern districts.
Sources say rocket steamer services have remained suspended for two years, causing immense sufferings for commuters.
Thousands of passengers from Chandpur, Cumilla, Chattogram, Sylhet, Feni, Luxmipur, Brahmanbaria and some other remote places used to use this river route by rocket steamers to go home safely on different occasions.
Thousands of the people, including students, coming to Chandpur from the aforesaid districts by trains, have become disappointed when they go to adjacent rocket steamer ghat to avail rocket steamers.
As a result, the poor and marginal people and students are bound to suffer much financially.
It was observed that IWTC's 75-year-old steamer ghat since the Pakistan regime is empty of any steamers or staff.
Rather some mad dogs are seen sleeping on the floors, gangways and gates of the steamer ghat.
The whole steamer ghat and its neighbouring areas are presenting just a deserted look. Only a few broken structures and a pontoon are left uncared for.
Locals say the steamer ghat has become a good and safe spot for some drug addicts at night.
Most shops and establishments, built around the ghat, have been removed too for want of passengers.
A survey shows that at least 05 lakh of passengers normally use this river route on the Eid occasion for going home through train and launch ghats in Chandpur.
Contacted, on condition of anonymity, a few IWTC staff members have told the FE that for want of passengers, the streamer service was stopped for the past two years.
All the office work has also been withdrawn from Chandpur too.
Chandpur IWTA Deputy Director Md Shahadat Hossain has declined to say anything about the suspension of rocket steamer services from Chandpur.
He adds alternatively a good number of launches have been arranged at the launch ghat for the convenience of the home-bound passengers for southern districts.
The suffering passengers have, however, appealed to the IWTC authorities to keep some special rocket steamers at Chandpur launch ghat on the occasion of Eid to make their homeward journey comfortable and safer from Chandpur.
They have alleged the launch fare from Chandpur to Barishal is too high (Tk 370), whereas rocket steamer fare is Tk 120 only which is affordable for marginal people.
Launch journey is costly and not at all safe during the sudden inclement weather.
Chandpur Railway Boro Station's Station Master Md Shoyeb Sikder and some local shopkeepers have told the FE many people, who come here by trains and bus from remote places, become disappointed when they see rocket steamer service suspended. None but some dogs is staying and sleeping at the ghat undisturbed.According to many people, rocket steamer service was suspended due to a poor number of passengers on rocket steamers after the inauguration of Padma Bridge. The IWTC cannot afford any loss.
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