The launch passengers will have to show their National Identity Cards before journey during the upcoming Eid-ul-Fitr.
Movement of trucks and covered vans by ferries will be closed three days before and three days after the eid.
Goods-laden vehicles carrying essentials and perishable products will be out of the purview of the ban.
The decisions were taken on Sunday at an eid travel management meeting chaired by shipping state minister Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury at the shipping ministry conference room at the secretariat.
As per other decisions, movement of all speedboats and sand-laden barges will be banned at night while movement of sand-laden barges will be banned during daytime five days before and five days after the eid.
Launches cannot be overloaded with passengers and goods and fares more than the approved rates cannot be charged.
For smooth and safe eid-period waterways journeys, initiatives will be taken to give vacations in phases to the workers in garment sectors working at Dhaka and Gazipur metropolitan areas.
Fire service authorities will be alerted at the river ports including Dhaka river port and the passengers can look for services in emergency cases at the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority’s hotline 16113.
The meeting was attended, among others, by the shipping ministry secretary Mesbah Uddin Chowdhury, Department of Shipping director general Commodore Abu Jafar Md Jalaluddin, Bangladesh Inland Waterways (passenger carriers’) Association president Mahbub Uddin Ahmed Bir Bikram, senior officials of BIWTA, Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation, coast guards, river police, fire service and district administrations and senior launch owners’ leaders were present both in-person and virtually.
– With New Age input
