The shipping minister, Shahjahan Khan, formally re-launched the waterbus service at Gabtoli Water Bus Landing Station in the capital on Thursday.
He said with the launch of four more new waterbuses, the total number stood at six.
Each of the two old water buses — ‘M L Buriganga’ and ‘ML Turag’ — has 35 seats while the new four water buses has 81 seats each.
The new waterbuses have been built involving Tk 3 crore while the old two were built at Tk 1.12 crore.
The new waterbuses, 19.5 metre long and 4.5 metre wide, will be operated with a minimum speed of 12 nautical miles per hour and will start after every 45 minutes from 7:00am.
The maximum fare will be Tk 40 for Sadarghat-Gabtoli route while minimum Tk 10 for one landing station to another one.
Besides, another four modern waterbuses are under-construction, which would run on the Sadarghat-Gabtali route.
The present government after assuming power introduced the waterbus service in August, 2010 on Sadarghat-Gabtali route.
Secretary of the shipping ministry Syed Monjurul Islam and BIWTA chairman Shamsuddoha, among others, spoke on the occasion with BIWTC chairman Mujibur Rahman in the chair.
-With New Age input
