UNB, Manikganj: Ferry operations on the Paturia–Daulatdia route have been severely disrupted after two out of three ferry ghats at Paturia collapsed under the force of a strong current in the Padma River.
Ghat number five was shut down completely following its collapse, while part of ghat number four gave way on Friday afternoon, forcing its temporary closure.
Currently, all ferry movement is being handled through ghat number three, causing major delays and long queues of vehicles.
Travel time across the four-kilometre river stretch has more than doubled, with ferries now taking over an hour due to the current. Passenger vehicles are facing delays of up to two hours, while goods trucks are waiting up to two days to cross.
According to the BIWTC Aricha office, ferry crossings now take more than twice as long due to the strong river current. While it previously took around 25–30 minutes to travel the four-kilometre stretch, the journey now exceeds one hour. The intense current has also made it increasingly difficult for ferries to dock at the ghats.
During a visit to the area on Friday afternoon, UNB observed more than a hundred passenger buses waiting to cross. Several private cars and microbuses were also in queue, while a long line of goods-laden trucks stretched nearly two kilometres along the highway.
Despite the growing crisis, there appears to be little substantial initiative by the BIWTA to reinforce or protect the ghats. Stakeholders working at the site have expressed concern that, without urgent and effective intervention, the entire Paturia ferry ghat could be lost to the river.
BIWTA Executive Engineer Nepal Chandra Debnath said that emergency efforts have begun, including the dumping of geo bags to protect the ghats.
However, he admitted that the force of the current is preventing the geo bags from settling in the correct positions.
Abdus Salam, acting deputy general manager of the BIWTC Aricha office, said that running ferries against the current and safeguarding the ghats have become our biggest challenges.
Ferry operations are taking significantly more time, and with two ghats out of service, not all ferries can be deployed.
As a result, the number of waiting vehicles is steadily increasing. Nevertheless, we are prioritising ferry crossings for vehicles as much as possible, he added.
