Mawa water transport biz faces closure

The Mawa launch terminal will be rendered useless and eventually forced to shut down in the absence of passengers once the Padma Bridge opens to traffic connecting Dhaka with southern districts, vessel operators and workers say, reports UNB.
Though bus owners expect a boom in business after the bridge opening on June 25, launch and speedboat operators at Shimulia (Mawa) ghat helplessly scramble for alternative livelihood options.
They have expressed fears that direct road communication between Dhaka and 17 southern districts through the Padma Bridge will hit traditional and popular water vessel business.
Many launch and speedboat passengers at Mawa ghat told the news agency that once the bridge opens, they will opt for direct and comfortable road communication instead of lengthy and risky travel through the murky waterways.
"Since there was no bridge over the river, we had no choice but to travel by launches braving many hassles and wasting many hours. So, when the bridge will be opened to traffic, we won't get launch service anymore," Abul Kalam, a private bank employee, said.
Kalam, who was going to Madaripur by a launch from Mawa ghat, said he now needs to change the modes of vehicles thrice to go to his village home from Dhaka's Jatrabari area. "It's also a time-consuming journey. But we'll be able to go to our home and return to Dhaka by direct bus services within a short time without many hassles when the bridge will be opened."
Walton Group employee Pritish Chandra Bala along with his wife Chaitali was crossing the Padma River by another launch to go to their village home in Gopalganj.
"We often go to our village home from Dhaka's Motijheel area. "We first come to the Mawa Ghat and then cross the river by a launch to catch a bus from the other side of the river to go home. We experience the same troubles while returning to Dhaka. We'll get luxury and direct bus services on Dhaka-Gopalganj route after a few days.
A speedboat passenger Mujahidul Islam said he uses the vessel to cross the river quickly to save time to go to his Shariatpur home and return to Dhaka. "When the bridge will be inaugurated, we will be free from this hassle and risky journey,"
According to operators, around 20,000-25,000 passengers use water vessels to reach different destinations, including Shariatpur, Ma-daripur, Gopalganj, Khulna mainly from capital Dhaka and vice versa through the ghat while the number of passengers increase by over five times during two Eids and other festivals.
Iqbal Hossain Khan, Senior Vice President, Shimulia-Kanthalbari unit Launch Owners' Asso-ciation, said it is a matter of joy that the much-hyped Padma Bridge will be opened to traffic. "But we'll now be forced to stop operation of our 87 launches on Shariatpur and Madaripur routes via Mawa ghat due to a shortage of passengers."