Barishal Live: Plying of motor launches on the Barishal-Dhaka route has been kept stopped ahead of the main opposition BNP's divisional grand rally in Barishal city on Saturday. Manzurul Ahsan Ferdous, owner of 'MV Kirtonkhola' launch said no launch would leave Barishal or Dhaka on Friday (November 4, 2022).
He said, "There are not enough passengers as it is Friday today. So, the plying of launches has been kept stopped. It will not be possible to recover the operating costs by transporting such a low volume of passengers. We will not operate launches incurring financial losses. In the same way, no launch will leave Sadarghat in Dhaka."
Visiting Barishal launch terminal on Friday afternoon, it was found that 'Parabat-18,' 'Manami', 'Surovi-9,' 'Suvoraj' and 'Prince Awlad-10' were kept anchored at the port. The entrance of each launch was kept closed.
Inspector Kabir Hossain of the Marine Security and Traffic Management Department of the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) in Barishal said, "No launch counter has been opened until Friday afternoon. The preparations needed to leave for Dhaka have not yet been noticed. Launch owners didn't tell us why their launches would not leave for Dhaka."
Barishal Riverine Port official Abdur Razzaque said, "No owner has informed us that they will not operate launches. But, I have heard that no launch will leave Barishal terminal for Dhaka on Friday. We have also contacted Dhaka. No launch will also leave Sadarghat terminal in Dhaka for Barishal."
BNP workers, leaders throng at Barishal rally venue:
Thousands of BNP leaders and activists started gathering at Barishal city’s Bangabandhu Park to join the party’s divisional rally on Thursday afternoon.
Barishal’s central bus terminal in Nathullabad was overcrowded on Thursday night as hundreds of commuters arrived to leave for their destinations one day in advance, fearing the transport strike, which is set to begin on Friday morning.
On Friday morning, it was seen that hundreds of BNP leaders and activists from different districts of the division are coming to the rally venue facing the obstacle of a transport strike.
Some came to the venue by boarding on microbus while others in small trucks, trawlers,s and cargo ships. They are getting down at Chandmari and KDC ghats of the Kirtankhola River to enter Bangabandhu Park. Many of them carry bedding, dry food, and water with them.
The activists who came to the park performed their Jummah prayer in two separate congregations. One congregation was held on the western side adjacent to the stage while the other congregation was held at the eastern corner of the park.
BNP’s vice chairman Dr. AZM Zahid Hossain said, “All the preparations for Saturday’s grand rally have been completed. Shaheed Zia’s soldiers have started coming to the rally venue defying all the obstacles of the ruling party.”
He said, “Supporters are facing various obstacles on the way. We will not step into any provocation of the ruling party. Hopefully, Saturday’s grand rally will turn into a sea of humans.” Thousands of activists spent the night in the park on Thursday night.
Md Forkan Khan, BNP’s general secretary of Ward No. 4, Dashmina Upazila of Patuakhali, along with 50 workers and leaders came to the venue on Thursday night as the transport strike came into effect from Friday morning. As there was no place to stay, they spent the night under the open sky in the venue.
Forkan Khan on Friday morning said he came to the rally venue two days before the rally, defying all hurdles as he loves his organization. Jasim Uddin Akon along with about 200 BNP leaders and activists came from Patharghata Upazila of Barguna on Friday morning.
In reply to the question that why they are accepting the hurdles to join in the rally, Jasim and other supporters said, “We need to establish democracy in the country. So we came to the rally keeping in mind the obstacles.”
Barishal city has virtually been cut off from the rest of the country after the two-day transport strike got underway on Friday. Buses, launches, speedboats, microbuses, and even the three-wheeler auto-rickshaws are unavailable.
Dhaka, 04 November (campuslive24.com)//BSC
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