Agonising wait at ferry terminals as fog triggers traffic snarl-ups
Staff Correspondent
Thick fog continued to affect life across the country disrupting traffic, particularly on highways and river routes, on Friday.
It affected people in many parts of the country. Commuters suffered due to interruption of vehicular movement on long routes as dense fog blanketed the highways and river routes, affecting visibility at night and during the early hours.
The fog caused an accident involving two launches on Kirtankhola river in Barisal district Friday morning leaving eight people inured.
The intensity of biting cold remained unchanged in the city on Friday.
Dhaka Meteorological Department said that the thick mist currently blanketing Bangladesh would last for at least one or two more days.
The country’s maximum temperature of 28.6 degrees Celsius was recorded on Friday at Sylhet and the minimum 9 degrees Celsius at Srimangal.
New Age correspondent in Barisal said, a Dhaka-bound launch was forced to anchor in Charmonai-Rajarchar Channel, about 11 kilometres from Barisal city within an hour after sailing at 8:00pm Thursday.
Eight passengers of MV Tipu-1 plying Jhalakati-Dhaka route were injured and the vessel was damaged after it was rammed on its back by MV Kalam Khan plying Barisal-Dhaka route on Friday morning due to dense fog in Rajar Char channel of Kirtankhola river.
Tipu-1 was stuck on the shoal after it was hit by Kalam Khan.
The vessel was badly damaged in the accident, its crew said, adding that it would not be able to sail again until it was pulled out of the shoal and repaired.
Among the injured passengers, Munir Hossain was taken to Barisal and admitted to Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital. Other passengers of Tipu-1 were taken to Dhaka by another vessel of the company.
New Age correspondent in Patuakhali said, dense fog continued to affect life in the district for the third straight day Friday.
Hundreds of vehicles were stranded at different ferry terminals on the Patuakhali-Dhaka route, including Paturia-Daulatdia and Mawa-Kawrakandi terminals, due to thick mists, causing immense sufferings to passengers.
Ferry services in Dapdapia, Lebukhali, Boga, Pairakunja, Amtali-Purakata, Kalapara-Nilganj, Hajipur and Mohipur remained suspended for hours till mists cleared late in the morning, sources said.
Ferry services resumed at about 10:00am, when the fog cleared, Shahidullah Mia, deputy director of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation for Patuakhali district, said.
Courtesy: newagebd.com
