No disruption expected in river transport during Eid: Shipping adviser

Holidaymakers are unlikely to face any trouble while travelling via waterways this year, said Shipping, Labour and Employment Adviser Brig Gen (retd) M Shakhawat Hossain.

"Our government has improved the communication network in the southern region. During last Eid, there were no problems with the waterways and there won't be any this time either," he told journalists on Saturday while visiting the Ilisha ferry terminal in Bhola during a two-day visit.

Responding to a query about launching government-run ferry services on the Bhola-Dhaka route, Shakhawat said, "There is currently a shortage of ferries. Some are outdated, while others are still operating on the Aricha-Daulatdia route. If we had enough ferries, there would be no issue in deploying them."

He noted that government ferries are currently serving several locations facing transport difficulties.

"We've deployed ferries in Maheshkhali and Sandwip and now Kutubdia has also requested one."

The adviser said some new ferries are expected to arrive later this year, and they will be able to distribute them across different locations accordingly.

Bhola Deputy Commissioner Md Azad Jahangir and Additional Superintendent of Police (Administration and Finance) Md Sohan Sarkar, along with other senior officials, were present during the visit.