BIWTA suspends launch, speed boat services on Mawa-Kawrakandi route

The Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) decided Saturday to temporarily suspend movement of all kinds of launches and speed boats on Mawa and Kawrakandi river route due to high waves in the river Padma.
"The turbulent and inclement weather has forced us to temporarily suspend launch and speed boat services between Mawa and Kawrakandi river route," Director (Port and Traffic) of BIWTA Abul Bashar told the FE on the day.
The suspension of launch and speed boat services forced many passengers to suffer a lot to cross the river for reaching their respective destinations on the day.
He said the decision was taken for the interest of passengers' safety and security on the route.
"We have taken the decision as the launch and speed boat operators were reluctant to operate services on the river route following the turbulent nature of the river Padma," he said.
He said the movement of all passenger launches and speed boats remained suspended from 12:00 noon on the day. He, however, said the ferry services were going on as usual on the day.
Following the suspension of launch and speed boat operations, the passengers had to cross the river by ferry service.
"I cancelled my journey to Shariatpur as there was no launch and speed boat services between Mawa and Kawrakandi. I decided not to board ferry which was crowded," Swapan, a passenger, told the FE in the city after returning from Mawa in the afternoon.
The BIWTA official, however, said the launch and speed boat services between Mawa in Munshiganj and Kawrakandi in Shariatpur will resume once the river becomes calm.
It may be mentioned that MV Pinak-6, a passenger launch sank in the river Padma near Mawa on August 6 last with 300 passengers on board. So far 42 dead bodies were recovered while over 100 are still traceless.
"We are working relentlessly to find out the sunken launch MV Pinak-6," Chairman of BIWTA Md Samsuddoha Khondaker told the FE.