Journey by the country’s waterways for any purpose has now become risky due to desperate plying, an uncontrolled increase in the number of unlicenced vessels and lack of supervision. We fear there could be accidents on different river routes of the country if the government does not give utmost importance to ensuring the security and convenience of the passengers and bringing discipline in plying of water transports in the county’s river routes.
All must keep in mind that cyclonic storms, downpours, or thundershowers accompanied by gusty or squally wind may occur anytime during this month. With the holy Eid-ul-Azha, the second biggest religious festival of Muslims, just around the corner, people will start leaving the capital Dhaka to celebrate the festival with their near and dear ones. Of them, many people along with their families will start going to their village homes by waterways next week.
According to a study, two-thirds of the water vessels plying in different river routes across the country do not have registration while many of them are operating without fitness, putting the passengers at great risk. The authorities must conduct operations to deter and stop illegal water passenger vessel operators across the country. They will have to get fully prepared to ensure safe journey of home goers ahead of Eid-ul-Azha.
Authorities must conduct
operations to deter and
stop illegal water
passenger vessel
operators across the country
We demand action against myriad illegal inland water vessels operating across the country. The authorities concerned must start the vessel census immediately to prevent the movement of illegal vessels.
We have noticed river safety is not being ensured due to the large number of unregistered and unfit vessels and the risk of accidents continues to increase. Although there are currently over 1 lakh of such vessels in the country, only 15,850 of them have come under registration. As a result, security remains lax, while the government keeps losing revenue.
Inland vessels are those that mainly operate in waterways within the country, not the ocean. If these vessels are included in the registration, it will be possible to ensure safety. Besides, the government’s revenue will also increase. The authorities concerned must stop plying unregistered and unfit vehicles and their unhealthy race on the waterways to avert road accidents. If owners of unfit or unlicenced water vessels try to violate the rules, stern actions will have to be taken against them.
