Heavy rain has caused significant hardship for passengers as thousands of homebound travellers gathered at the Sadarghat Launch Terminal ahead of Eid.
The downpour intensified in the evening (18 March), creating a chaotic situation across the busy river port as travellers struggled to board launches for different southern districts.
A visit to the terminal showed that pontoons and connecting walkways had become slippery due to the rain. With limited shelter available, many passengers were seen standing in long queues for tickets while getting drenched. Families travelling with children and elderly members were particularly struggling.
Several passengers were also seen running toward launches with luggage on their heads to avoid getting soaked.
Long queues were visible in front of launches bound for Chandpur and Barishal, but the boarding process was being disrupted due to the rain. Some launches may depart later than their scheduled time as a result.
Passengers complained that the lack of adequate arrangements during rainfall had worsened their suffering.
Nasima Akter, a passenger travelling to Bhola, said standing in the rain with children had become extremely difficult. “There is nowhere to sit, and managing the children in this situation is very hard,” she said.
Officials associated with the launches said passenger boarding and disembarkation had slowed due to the bad weather. Additional safety precautions were also being taken, which may lead to schedule adjustments.
Zulfikar Islam, an official of the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority, said the terminal had experienced heavy passenger pressure throughout the day.
“Passenger numbers at Sadarghat remained very high all day. But after the rain began in the evening, travellers are now facing difficulties,” he said.
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