Passenger launch services on the Daulatdia–Paturia route have been temporarily suspended due to inclement weather and heavy rainfall.
The Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) halted operations from 9:00 AM on Thursday to avoid the risk of accidents caused by strong winds and a turbulent Padma River, according to the manager at the Daulatdia launch terminal, Nurul Anwar Milon.
The sudden rise in wind speed and increasingly rough river conditions prompted the decision, causing disruptions for passengers on both sides of the river.
Many travelers arriving at the terminals were left stranded, forced to wait or find alternative transport.
According to officials at the terminal, the suspension will remain in place until the weather improves. Launch services will resume once river conditions become safe again.
However, ferry operations continue as usual despite the adverse weather.
A visit to the Daulatdia terminal around 10:00 AM revealed that all launches had been anchored due to heavy rain and high waves on the Padma. Most watercraft remained inactive amid the rough river conditions.
Kamrul Hossain, a passenger en route to Dhaka from Rajbari, said he arrived at the launch terminal around 10:30 AM only to find that all launches had stopped due to the rain.
“I had no choice but to head to the ferry terminal, but crossing the river in this weather still feels risky,” he added.
Salah Uddin, Assistant General Manager of BIWTC at Daulatdia, confirmed that ferry services are operating normally.
Currently, 12 ferries of various sizes are transporting passengers and vehicles across the river through three terminals on the Daulatdia–Paturia route.
