Desk Report,
Ferries and ships closed due to rough seas, speedboats plying at risk
Speedboats plying at risk in the rough sea. At around 4:15 pm today, on the coast of Boyaliyakul Sagar in Banshbaria Union of Sitakunda, ChittagongPhoto: Prothom Alo
Ferries and ships closed due to rough seas, speedboats plying at risk
Ferries and passenger ships have been closed on the Sitakunda-Sandwip waterway in Chittagong due to rough seas. However, speedboats are plying at risk, defying the ban.
The Meteorological Department has said in its forecast that due to low pressure in the Bay of Bengal, the Chittagong Seaport has been asked to display local warning signal number 3. While this warning is in effect, all types of passenger vessels are prohibited from plying the Sandwip Channel.
The Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) said that speedboats are banned from plying this waterway from March 15 to October 15 every year. However, speedboats are plying despite these instructions. As a result, accidents are happening. On June 16, a speedboat also met with an accident in the rough sea.

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Ferries and ships closed in the rough sea, speedboats plying at risk
Representative
Sitakunda, Chittagong
Published: 04 July 2025, 22:46
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Speedboats plying at risk in the rough sea. At around 4:15 pm today, on the coast of Boaliakul Sagar in Banshbaria Union, Sitakunda, ChittagongPhoto: Prothom Alo
Ferries and passenger ships have been closed on the Sitakunda-Sandwip waterway in Chittagong due to rough seas. However, speedboats are plying at risk, defying the ban.
The Meteorological Department has said in its forecast that due to low pressure in the Bay of Bengal, the Chittagong Seaport has been asked to display local warning signal number 3. While this warning is in effect, all types of passenger vessels are prohibited from operating in the Sandwip Channel.
The Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) said that speedboats are banned from operating in this waterway from March 15 to October 15 every year. However, speedboats are operating despite these instructions. As a result, accidents occur. On June 16, a speedboat also met with an accident in the rough sea.
At around 4:15 pm today, it was seen in the Boyaliakul area of Banshbaria Union in Sitakunda Upazila of Chittagong that two speedboats carrying passengers had set off for Kumira from the Guptachara ferry terminal in Sandwip. However, the sea was very rough. In the middle of the journey, the two speedboats reached the Banshbaria area instead of going directly to Kumira Ghat. Later, they were seen heading towards Kumira Ghat along the coast.
Local fishermen said the waves were so strong that the speedboats lost their course and ended up in Banshbariya instead of Kumira. However, the ownership of the speedboats could not be confirmed.
BIWTA sources said that the movement of speedboats, ferries and passenger ships is completely prohibited during the warning signal. There is also a seasonal ban on speedboats in the Sandwip Channel.
