Poor weather interrupts launch service from Dhaka to southern Bangladesh

Adverse weather conditions have interrupted launch service from Dhaka to southern parts of Bangladesh.

All water transport service from Dhaka’s Sadarghat was halted from 8:28am to 9:42am and 11:50am to 1pm due to dangerous weather conditions, said Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Association Inspector Dinesh Kumar Saha.

Dhaka experienced about three hours of medium to heavy rain on Sunday morning after it was hit by a storm. Heavy rain was also reported in various other districts.

The Meteorological Department had previously forecast storm and rain in the Rajshahi, Pabna, Bogra, Tangail, Mymensingh, Jessore, Kushtia, Faridpur, Madaripur, Dhaka, Comilla, Noakhali and Sylhet areas and instructed ports to raise Marine Warning No 2.

Vessels greater than 65ft in length are not restricted from operations under Warning No 2, Dinesh Kumar Saha said. But service was halted twice as cautionary measures amid the storm on Sunday, he added.

Launches from Dhaka’s Sadarghat set off along 42 routes to the south of Bangladesh every day, with each vessel carrying about 65 to 70 passengers. But public holidays this week have caused a larger-than-usual crowd to gather at the port.

A total of 50mm of rain were recorded between 6am and 9am on Sunday morning, said Meteorological Department official Bazlur Rashid.

The stormy weather is likely to continue for another few days, he said.