Dhaka residents head south in search of survivors
Sunday, 18 November 2007
Worried Dhaka residents thronged Sadarghat launch terminal Saturday afternoon to travel to storm-hit areas in search of news of family and friends. Many had no other way of knowing whether their loved ones had survived the killer storm.
Some launches departed ahead of schedule as they filled up with passengers waiting at the terminal, reports bdnews24.com.
The rush of people caused a severe traffic jam on the road to Sadarghat from Gulistan.
bdnews24.com's senior sub-editor Sanjay Dey, who was bound for Barisal on assignment to cover the ruined south, found that many Barisal-bound launches including MV Suravi had left the terminal ahead of schedule.
Mohammad Abbas said he had arrived at Sadarghat Launch Terminal at 3.0pm but could not board a launch until 6.0pm.
Abbas was on his way to Patuakhali. "I don't know if I will be able to get home. But I need to see if my relatives are okay."
Southbound launches were packed to capacity. Other launches were pressed into service on high-demand routes.
Bus services to Patuakhali and Barguna remained suspended Saturday.
Eagle Bus's Barguna counter manager at Jatrabari bus stand, Shuvo, said uprooted and fallen trees blocked roads.
Dhaka-Patuakhali and Dhaka-Barguna road communications had not yet been restored because the ferries at river crossings had not resumed service.
He said the storm washed away the pontoon at Amtali ferry pier in Barguna and Lebukhali ferry pier, halting road transport.
Hakim Uddin, who manages the Sayedabad counter of Meghna Paribahan, said: "I heard the ferries were being repaired and the work would be complete by Saturday night. We cannot resume our services until the roads and highways department confirms that it is safe to do so."
Other bus companies also suspended services to the southern districts.
Some launches departed ahead of schedule as they filled up with passengers waiting at the terminal, reports bdnews24.com.
The rush of people caused a severe traffic jam on the road to Sadarghat from Gulistan.
bdnews24.com's senior sub-editor Sanjay Dey, who was bound for Barisal on assignment to cover the ruined south, found that many Barisal-bound launches including MV Suravi had left the terminal ahead of schedule.
Mohammad Abbas said he had arrived at Sadarghat Launch Terminal at 3.0pm but could not board a launch until 6.0pm.
Abbas was on his way to Patuakhali. "I don't know if I will be able to get home. But I need to see if my relatives are okay."
Southbound launches were packed to capacity. Other launches were pressed into service on high-demand routes.
Bus services to Patuakhali and Barguna remained suspended Saturday.
Eagle Bus's Barguna counter manager at Jatrabari bus stand, Shuvo, said uprooted and fallen trees blocked roads.
Dhaka-Patuakhali and Dhaka-Barguna road communications had not yet been restored because the ferries at river crossings had not resumed service.
He said the storm washed away the pontoon at Amtali ferry pier in Barguna and Lebukhali ferry pier, halting road transport.
Hakim Uddin, who manages the Sayedabad counter of Meghna Paribahan, said: "I heard the ferries were being repaired and the work would be complete by Saturday night. We cannot resume our services until the roads and highways department confirms that it is safe to do so."
Other bus companies also suspended services to the southern districts.