Kamrul Hasan: The important launch pier at Paturia point on Paturia-Daulatdia river route has become unusable due to the strong current of the Padma River. One jetty used at the pier has completely collapsed and the other is also in a very risky condition, according to the pier authority sources. Thousands of passengers have to cross the pier every day, risking their lives.

This launch pier on the Paturia-Daulatdia river route is a very important waterway for the people of 21 districts in the southwestern part of the country. Every day, lakhs of passengers cross the river using this route.

Locals complain that even though such problems occur every year during the monsoon season, no advance steps have been taken by the authorities. Like every time, this time too, passengers have faced disaster due to lack of timely measures. Fatal accidents can happen at any time.

Paturia Launch Ghat Manager Pannalal Nandi said that due to the strong current in the river, the ground under the piers of the jetty is shifting. As a result, one of the two jetties has completely collapsed. The condition of the other jetty is also fragile. If measures are not taken now, it can also collapse at any time.

BIWTA Aricha Sector Deputy Director Md. Selim Sheikh said, "As soon as we learned about the incident, we took necessary steps. A team has already left for the spot. Since this is a very important waterway, it has been decided to shift the launch ghat to Reserve Ferry Ghat No. 2 as an alternative measure to reduce the suffering of passengers.

Since the monsoon season is ongoing, it is not possible to repair the collapsed jetties immediately. For now, they will be rescued and stored. Once the suitable environment is created after the monsoon, the jetties will be permanently repaired and made suitable for use again.

Meanwhile, the concerned quarters have demanded that necessary permanent measures be taken immediately to ensure the safety of passengers. Otherwise, unexpected accidents may occur.