Ferry services on the Chandpur-Shariatpur waterway resumed on Saturday afternoon after remaining suspended for seven hours. The suspension began at 5:00 am when the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) Masters' Welfare Association called a strike to protest the arrest of a ferry master following a fatal accident.

The Incident

On Friday morning at around 9:00 am, the ferry 'Kakoli' departed from Harina Ghat in Chandpur heading towards Narsinghpur in Shariatpur. As it reached the Berachakki area adjacent to the Meghna river in Bhedarganj upazila, a sand-laden bulkhead coming from the opposite direction struck the ferry with force. Several vehicles on the ferry were damaged, and a portion of a bus was crushed against the bulkhead. A child died in the collision.

Arrest and Protest

Following the incident, police arrested the ferry's master. In protest, the BIWTC Masters' Welfare Association called for a suspension of ferry services on the route from 5:00 am on Saturday. The strike left over two hundred vehicles stranded at the Narsinghpur and Harina ferry ghats.

Services Resume

According to BIWTC and river police sources, ferry services returned to normal around 12:00 pm after the seven-hour disruption. Stranded vehicles are being transported in phases. No case has been filed by the victim's family so far, but river police said an investigation is underway and legal action will be taken against those responsible.