Special Launch Services for Eid Journey Begin Today

On the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr, regular launches, as well as special launches, have been started on various waterways across the country for passenger crossing from today (Wednesday, April 20). The sale of advance tickets for special launches is also starting from today.

Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) Deputy Director (Media) Mubarak Hossain Majumder said the decision was taken at a meeting of BIWTA, administration and launch owners in Dhaka on April 17.

It was further decided at the meeting that no motorcycle can be transported by launching from 5 days before Eid. This instruction will remain in force for 5 days after Eid. No sand-carrying trawler will be able to move in the river five days before and five days after Eid. Legal action will be taken against those who disobey this order.

Extra passengers cannot be carried. Adequate security measures will be taken at the terminals.

Launches operate on 43 routes from Sadarghat. In normal times, an average of 80 launches operate from there every day, but about two hundred launches operate during the Eid Journey.

It is to be noted that it has been decided to make it mandatory for the launch passengers to show and save their National Identity Card (NID) at the time of journey. Launch owners-workers are specifically instructed to store NIDs in cabin passengers.