Ferry Kopotakkho reaches Banshberia Ghat after 8-hour stranding on Sandwip route

After being stranded for nearly eight hours on the Chattogram-Sandwip waterway due to navigability problems, Ferry Kopotakkho reached Banshberia Ghat around 4:10am today (3 September).

However, unloading vehicles from the ferry took another four hours as the low-water ramp at the terminal could not be used due to high tide.

Passengers reached the shore in small boats with the help of local residents. Police were deployed to prevent small boat operators from charging passengers excessive fares.

Ferry Kopotakkho left Guptachhara Ghat in Sandwip for Banshberia Ghat in Sitakunda at 7:10pm on Wednesday. Within minutes of departure, the ferry became stuck in silt at the mouth of the channel.

Passengers said the ferry was carrying around 300 people, two passenger buses, seven small and large trucks, and several private cars.

The ferry started floating again as the tide began rising around 1:30am. It resumed its journey at around 3am and reached Banshberia Ghat at 4:10am.

Even after reaching the terminal, passengers and vehicles faced further delays. Due to the high tide, vehicles could not be unloaded through the low-water ramp, leaving buses, trucks and private cars stranded on the ferry.

Vehicles were unloaded gradually after the water level fell and the ramp became usable. The entire process was completed around 8am.

Driver Mohammad Imrul, who was travelling on the ferry, expressed frustration over the condition of the terminal infrastructure.

"We have been hearing for three months that a high-water ramp would be installed at Banshberia Ghat. But it has still not been installed. Now, during high tide, we cannot even get off with our vehicles. On one hand, we had to wait for eight hours, and now another four hours," he said.

He added, "The low-water ramp at Sandwip is also almost unusable. It cannot be used except during winter."

Asked about the installation of the high-water ramp, Nayan Shil, deputy director and port officer of the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA), told The Business Standard, "The ramp cannot be transported by waterway due to weather problems. It has already been loaded onto a vessel in Chandpur. However, the vessel cannot leave because of the weather. The rolling in the sea is high."

During the delay, passengers also faced shortages of food and drinking water. The situation worsened after food at the ferry canteen ran out. Later, local representatives and political party activists provided food and other necessary items to the stranded passengers.

Ferry services on the route resumed on Wednesday evening after remaining suspended for four days due to weather warnings.

The incident has raised questions over the navigability of the route and terminal infrastructure, as Ferry Kopotakkho became stranded during its first trip after resuming operations and vehicles later could not be unloaded due to high tide at Banshberia Ghat.