Due to heavy fog, ferry service has resumed after 3 hours on Shimulia-Banglabazar route. The ferry service was suspended by the terminal authorities around 8 am on Wednesday due to heavy fog. Later, when the fog cleared around 10 am, the ferry service was restored. Shafiqul Islam, AGM of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation Shimulia Ghat, said the ferry service was suspended from 8am to 10am due to fog. This decision has been taken to avoid accidents. Vehicles are crossing this route with 4 K-type (medium) ferries.
Shimulia Ghat traffic inspector Zakir Hossain said more than 300 vehicles were stranded at both the ports as the ferry service was suspended for three hours. The Manager (Commerce) of Shimulia Ghat said that from the first week of November last year, ferries ply from Shimulia Ghat to Banglabazar Ghat from 8 am to 3 pm and from the last week of the same month to the newly established Majhirkandi route from Shimulia Ghat from 3 pm to 6 am . In July and August last year, the ferry hit the pillars of the Padma Bridge more than once. As a result, the authorities stopped the ferry service on the Shimulia-Banglabazar route for 48 consecutive days. The ferry masters were suspended after the ferry collided with a bridge pillar. In order to avoid the accident, ferry authorities decided to allow small vehicles to cross the river only during the day on 4 medium ferries on this route on November 4. At the same time, the ferry service started at night on the new Shimulia-Majhirkandi new route avoiding the Padma Bridge.