-Speedboat was stopped from AL oust
-Speedboat owners were involved in AL govt
Speedboat movement is closed on Kazirhat-Aricha route in Pabna. The passengers are suffering. Speedboats are popular with passengers for quick travel to Dhaka. As a result, they are forced to travel by launch and ferry. However, the locals have requested BIWTA's intervention to launch speedboats quickly. Talking to passengers and traders, it is known that around 2016, along with launches and ferries, speedboats started operating on this route. The distance of Kazirhat to Aricha route is 13 km. 4 ferries and 9 launches operate on this route.
However, speedboats have become popular among the passengers of this route as they take less time to travel to the capital. Every day about 1000 people travel by speedboat on this route. At least 10,000 passengers cross this route by speedboat every day during Eid.
During the previous government, the local Awami League leaders operated the speedboats through their people. But after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government on August 5, Awami League leaders and their people went into hiding. As a result, the speedboat movement was stopped from that day. Passengers are traveling in launches and ferries under such circumstances. However, they are uncomfortable if it takes too much time. Passengers demanded to start speedboat soon.
Visiting Kazirhat Ghat on Monday, it was seen that there is a lot of current in the river. Meanwhile, ferries and launches are leaving for Aricha. Many come to the pier looking for speedboats.
Those who are not comfortable traveling by ferry or launch. One such person is Ariful Islam of Masumdia village of Bara upazila. He said, 'I work in Dhaka. I travel home by speedboat once or twice a month. This is because it takes less time. Today I came to the ghat and found out that the speedboat movement has stopped. Thinking of the convenience of the passengers, I demand to start the speedboat soon.'
Businessman Saiful Islam was going to Dhaka by launch without getting a speedboat. He said, 'I often have to go to Dhaka for business purposes. Distance on Kazirhat-Aricha route is short. You can go to Dhaka quickly. And it takes 20-25 minutes to see the speedboat. But the ferry or launch takes an hour and a half. This suffering will be reduced if there is a speedboat.' Ferdous Hossain and Abdul Baten, the speedboat traders of Kazirhat Ghat, said, "The Awami League leaders operated the speedboat ghat illegally for 15 years during the previous government and charged more fares from passengers. 20 to 25 speedboats are sufficient on this route.
They used to run 80 speedboats there. A large speedboat with a capacity of 16 people, there they took 21 people in the hope of more money, even if it was risky. We are demanding the authorities to systematically launch public-friendly speedboats.
Md Abdul Wakil, Port Officer of BIWTA's Nagarbari-Kazirhat-Naradah River Port, said, "We have spoken to the Speedboat Owners Association several times. They could not start the speedboat despite repeated assurances to us. We have come to know from various media that almost all the speedboat owners were somehow involved in the politics of the previous government. As a result, all of them have now gone into hiding. In this context, we have proposed to the authorities to cancel the route permits of all speedboats plying on this route and call for fresh route permits. We are trying our best to start speedboat service soon. '
ZH
