Published: 11:39 PM, 18 September 2026
Padma ferry breakdowns leave passengers on edge
Thousands of people and hundreds of vehicles cross the Padma on Daulatdia-Paturia route every day. -Agency
A ferry loses power in the middle of the Padma River. The current begins carrying it downstream. For the passengers on board, there is another problem -- many say they have little idea about what they are supposed to do next.
A recent breakdown on the busy Daulatdia-Paturia route has brought those concerns back into focus, with passengers questioning whether enough is being done to prepare them for an emergency.
Thousands of people and hundreds of vehicles cross the Padma on the route every day. But passengers say they had received no guidance on where to find life jackets, how to use them or what to do if a ferry ran into trouble mid-river.
The concerns intensified after the Ro-Ro ferry "Birshreshtha Hamidur Rahman" encountered a mechanical fault on Sept 7 and was carried downstream by the strong current.
Authorities responsible for the route say rescue teams, divers, speedboats and rescue vessels are available and can be deployed quickly in an emergency.
Passengers, however, say they should not have to wait until something goes wrong to learn what to do.
Risky Crossings
Gafur Molla, a passenger from Magura, said he did not know what to do if a ferry met with an accident mid-river, including where to find a life jacket, how to use it or how to reach safety quickly if someone fell into the water.
"I don't know what to do in an emergency. If something happens to everyone, the same thing will happen to me," he said.
Around 10am on Sept 7, the "Birshreshtha Hamidur Rahman" left Paturia terminal for Daulatdia.
Mid-river, its engine developed a fault amid a strong current and was unable to move forward.
The current carried the vessel about 1.5km downstream, leaving passengers and drivers stranded on board. It was eventually brought back to Paturia terminal about four hours later.
Another passenger, Shafiqul Islam, said ferry engines often fail in the middle of the Padma or near the riverbank, with some vessels taking three to four hours to reach shore.
"We remain extremely anxious in such situations. You never know what might happen because this route is not safe at all. An accident could happen at any time," he said.
Shafiqul said passengers were asked to get off buses before boarding a ferry, but were given no instructions on what to do if the ferry got into trouble mid-river.
"Passengers should be briefed on these matters before they board the ferry," he said.
Authorities Say Rescue Teams Stand Ready
Md Nasir Uddin, master of the Ro-Ro ferry "Khan Jahan Ali", said even a relatively minor mechanical problem could take a dangerous turn on the river.
He said a hydraulic pipe on the "Birshreshtha Hamidur Rahman" had burst, leaving the vessel unable to reach the shore.
The vessel was carried several kilometres by the current before another ship helped bring it back to shore.
"Mechanical faults do not come with a warning. So there is always a risk if regular maintenance and technical inspections are not carried out properly," Nasir said.
Deputy Assistant Director of Rajbari Fire Service Dewan Sohel Rana said that if a major accident occurs at a ferry or terminal, a team from the Goalanda Fire Station first reaches the site to begin rescue operations.
A BIWTA diving team is also stationed at the terminal and can join the operation immediately, he said.
"The Fire Service diving team is based at Aricha terminal and can reach the site quickly by speedboat. Six divers are there and another three are in Faridpur."
If necessary, divers can be brought in from Dhaka. We have the capacity to deploy as many divers as needed if an accident occurs at a ferry or terminal," the official added.
Md Salahuddin, assistant general manager of the BIWTC's Daulatdia terminal branch, said every ferry operating on the route has fitness and survey certificates, while certified masters operate the vessels.
"If a major accident occurs at a ferry or terminal, several agencies conduct a coordinated rescue operation. Trained rescuers, divers, the rescue vessel Hamza and other watercraft from the Fire Service, BIWTA, BIWTC and other agencies are ready," he said.
>>Agency
