Shimulia, Paturia ghat see huge homebound crowd

The launches are carrying more passengers even though they are instructed to carry half their capacity. Shimulia alongside Aricha and Paturia ferry ghats are witnessing a massive rush of homebound people as thousands of people are leaving the capital and surrounding areas to celebrate Eid-ul-Adha with family amid the pandemic.

In Shimulia, southbound passengers have been arriving at the ferry and launch ghat since morning to cross the Padma river. The launches are carrying more passengers ignoring social distance even though they are instructed to carry half their capacity. On the other hand, due to the increase in the number of public transport and private vehicles, it is getting harder to cross the vehicles on ferries.

The Dhaka-Mawa Expressway towards Shimulia ghat also has about a 7km long line of goods-laden trucks while over 600 private vehicles and trucks are waiting to cross the wharf. BIWTA Shimulia Launch Ghat Traffic Officer Md Soleiman said, 83 launches are currently operating on the waterway to carry passengers.