A ferry hit a pillar of the under-construction Padma Bridge on Monday. The ferry- Bir Srestho Jahangir- in the evening hit the 10th pillar of the Bridge on Banglabazar Ghat in Madaripur to Shimulia Ghat in Munshiganj route.
Another such incident happened as a ferry hit a pillar of the bridge on July 23.
A Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTA) official said that the pillar was slightly damaged after being hit by the ferry. A truck on the ferry rammed a private car. The passengers of the private car also received minor injuries.
BIWTA Chairman Md Tajul Islam told reporters, “The incident took place while the ferry tried to give side to a sand-laden bulkhead. We could not know immediately if the bridge was harmed but the ferry was slightly damaged.”
Munshiganj ASP (Administration) Sumon Dev said, “Police and naval police rushed to the spot. All the vehicles on the ferry have been unloaded at Shimulia Ghat. The truck and private car are in the custody of the police in the Ghat area. Some parts of the ferry were damaged.”
Earlier on July 23, a ro-ro ferry Shahjalal on Shimulia-Banglabazar route hit pillar no 17 of the Padma Bridge after its master lost control over the vessel on the way to Shimulia Ghat in Munshiganj.
It was recommended to remove the existing Shimulia ferry ghat and take it to the old Mawa ghat.
And if that is not possible, then it was recommended moving the Banglabazar ferry terminal to Majhirghat to avoid such accidents.
Later, the Ministry of Shipping also formed a separate committee on July 29 to conduct a detailed inquiry into the collision of the Ro-Ro ferry 'Shahjalal' on the pillar of the Padma Bridge.
The committee was directed to submit an investigation report with recommendations to the shipping secretary within 10 working days. Before the submission of the report, another ferry hit the pillar of the Padma Bridge.
The bridge authority has expressed concern as four ferries have hit with the pillars in a month alone.
