Shortage of ferries forced hundreds of vehicles to remain stranded at Paturia and Daulatdia terminals for hours on Friday.
At Daulatdia ferry terminal, a three-kilometre tailback was witnessed in the morning while buses and trucks formed a long line at Paturia on the other end of the route causing suffering to the passengers.
Five ferries remained inoperative due to mechanical glitch and among them Bir Shreshtha Hamidur Rahman, Enayetpuri, Bir Shreshtha Matiur Rahman and Bir Shreshtha Jahangir were sent to Narayanganj dockyard and Shah Jalal to Paturia dockyard for repairs.
Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation’s Aricha area marine officer Abdus Sattar said five of the 12 ferries remained inoperative on the Paturia-Daulatdia route which caused tailbacks on both ends of the route all day on Friday.
He said ferry service was also being disrupted by strong current in the river Padma.
BIWTC said about five hundred vehicles were waiting at the two ferry terminals till Friday afternoon.
Besides, a large number of trucks carrying followers of Atrashi Pir from Faridpur also caused traffic tangle on the route.
Locals blamed the BIWTC for the delay in repair of the ferries.
They said seven more ferries operating between the two terminals also needed immediate repairs.
This route is the only way of communication between the south-western region and Dhaka city.