Ambulances carrying dying patients stuck at Banglabazar- Shimulia ghat

A good number of people, mostly dying patients and their relatives, were seen to fall in great trouble due to the sudden closure of ferry services on Banglabazar- Shimulia route.

Ambulances carrying dying patients were seen waiting in queues to cross the Padma river by ferry in Banglabazar ghat from Saturday (May 8) morning.

Relatives of the patients alleged that they had no information about the closure of ferry services on the route.

Mahmud, a relative of a dying patient, said, “The health condition of our patient is very critical. We may face a great loss if we fail to take the patient to Dhaka within a short time.”

A patient, speaking from another ambulance, said, “I am a cancer patient. Today is the date for chemotherapy. Arriving at the ghat, we found that ferry services were closed. We request the authority to immediately release the ambulances stranded here at the ghat.”

Safayat Ahmed, Shimulia Ferry Manager (Commerce) at Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC), said the authority has decided to suspend ferry service on Banglabazar- Shimulia ferry route in day time from today (May 8) in a bid to prevent the spread of coronavirus infection in the country.

However, a limited number of ferries will run from the evening. Only emergency vehicles, ambulances and goods-laden trucks will get priority to cross the river at night.