Ferry services to Hatiya suspended for four days, gods in stranded trucks spoiling

Ferry services to Hatiya, the island upazila of Noakhali, have remained completely suspended for the past four days due to adverse weather.

Despite the rough weather, the sea truck MV Khizir and a few trawlers have continued operating at considerable risk. However, the ferry suspension has left truck drivers and transport workers in severe distress, with perishable goods loaded on hundreds of stranded trucks beginning to rot.

According to local sources and ferry terminal authorities, ferry operations have been halted for four consecutive days as rough seas and turbulent conditions in the Meghna River have made navigation unsafe. The suspension, aimed at preventing accidents, has left more than 200 trucks, covered vans and other vehicles stranded at Chairman Ghat on the Noakhali mainland and Nolchira Ghat in Hatiya.

Drivers and their assistants have been enduring severe hardship after waiting at the terminals for four days. With inadequate accommodation, food and sanitation facilities at the ghats, they have been forced to cope under difficult conditions. Transporters of vegetables, fruits and other perishable goods are facing the worst losses as their cargo continues to deteriorate.

Stranded truck driver Abdul Latif said, “I have been waiting at the ferry terminal with a truckload of potatoes for four days. There is still no sign of the ferry resuming operations. Due to the heat and strong winds, more than half of my cargo has already spoiled.”

Businessman Hedayet Ullah warned that if weather conditions do not improve quickly and ferry services remain suspended, perishable goods worth millions of taka could be completely destroyed, causing significant financial losses for local traders and eventually affecting consumers.

Anwar Shahraj, an expatriate and resident of Char Nolchira in Hatiya, said he had travelled to the district town for medical treatment but is now stranded on the mainland. Although ferry services have been suspended, many people are still crossing the river on sea trucks and trawlers out of necessity. He said travelling by trawler is extremely risky, but passengers have little alternative.

Terminal authorities said rising tides and rough river conditions have submerged the ferry pontoon, making it impossible for ferries to dock safely. Ferry operations have therefore been temporarily suspended to ensure the safety of passengers and property. They added that stranded cargo vehicles will be given priority once weather conditions improve and services resume.

Rafiqul Islam, an observer at the Noakhali Meteorological Office, said the district recorded 57 millimetres of rainfall in the 24 hours from Tuesday morning (July 7) to Wednesday morning (July 8). Hatiya recorded the highest weekly rainfall in the district, with 108 millimetres.

Masum Billah, Assistant Director of the Hatiya Coastal River Port, said ferry operations have been suspended because a low-pressure system has made the river extremely rough. “The suspension is a precautionary measure to avoid accidents. Ferry services will resume as soon as the weather returns to normal,” he said.