BIWTA suspends operations of two vessels

FE Team | Published: September 10, 2007 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00

FE Report
The woes of passengers travelling by river route between Dhaka and Patuakhali have increased over the last week following suspension of plying permits of two large vessels by the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA).
According to informed sources, BIWTA suspended the operation of the vessels, each having a capacity to transport 1000 passengers, from September 5 in response to a court order issued earlier
Sources said the clampdown on the operation of the two vessels was the result of internal feuding among the owners.
The suspended vessels are Anchal-6 owned by Dollars Shipping Company and the Red Sun- 5 owned by Anam Shipping.
BIWTA officials said the passengers' suffering have been mounting as the vessels already in operation were not abiding by the schedules.
Currently, six passenger vessels ply on the route of which three leaves from Dhaka and three Patuakhali every day.
The BIWTA issued Sunday show cause notices upon four out of six passenger vessels for not maintaining the scheduled operations in the route.
The vessels that are, however, plying on the route are carrying excessive passengers thus putting their lives at risk, local sources said.
BIWTA sources said some operators have formed a cartel to control the route and they obstruct any moves to induct new passenger vessels.
However, BIWTA expected that the suspended ships might resume their operation before Eid as hectic negotiations with the operators are going on.
BIWTA sources said passengers suffering will end once all the vessels starts plying in the route regularly.
BIWTA director, ports and traffic department Motahar Hossain told the FE that they were directed by the court to suspend two vessels from plying on the route.
He said: "At present three vessels from each side are sufficient to carry the passengers. But as most of them do not operate their vessels regularly, we issued show cause notices against them".
He also said it issued show cause notices to Saikot- 14 and 15, Sattar Khan- 1 and Dwipraj 2 Sunday for not operating the vessels since long and asked them to respond within three days.