A long-awaited sea-truck service has officially been launched on the Cox’s Bazar–Moheshkhali water route, bringing a sigh of relief to the island’s residents. With fares set at Tk 35 for the Cox’s Bazar 6 No. Ghat and Tk 30 for Nuniyarchhara Ghat will carry 250 passengers per trip—offering a safe, affordable alternative to risky private boats.
The inauguration ceremony took place on Thursday (April 24) at 11 AM at the BIWTA ghat in Nuniyarchhara, where the Shipping Adviser Brigadier General (Retd.) M Shakhawat Hossain inaugurated the service by cutting a ribbon and releasing balloons. He was joined by eminent intellectual and public thinker Professor Dr. Salimullah Khan.
After boarding the sea-truck to Maheshkhali, the Shipping Adviser addressed locals, emphasizing the importance of equitable development. “If people in remote regions like Maheshkhali do not benefit from development, there’s little value in building metro rail in Dhaka,” he remarked. He criticized obstructionist lawsuits that delay infrastructure projects and humorously labeled both his own region of Barishal and Maheshkhali as “lawsuit-loving.”
He also announced plans to introduce an additional sea-truck on the route to meet future demand.
Professor Dr. Salimullah Khan praised the development taking place in Maheshkhali, particularly the progress in roads and ongoing projects in Matarbari. However, he noted that the Cox’s Bazar–Maheshkhali water route had seen no significant development in the past 20 years. “The interim government has taken a revolutionary step with this safe, modern vessel,” he said, while acknowledging that all problems have not yet been solved.
Highlighting a longstanding issue, Dr. Khan mentioned that in 1991, then-secretary Mokammel Haque had lifted tolls at the Maheshkhali Ghat, citing the region’s poverty and vulnerability to disasters. “But now, tolls are being reintroduced under different names—for the municipality, for the district council. If the people unite in protest, the government may withdraw them again,” he added.
The sea-truck’s launch has sparked a wave of joy across Maheshkhali. Locals say that during monsoon, they had to brave the turbulent sea in wooden boats, iron launchers, and overpriced speedboats—often controlled by a powerful syndicate. They hope the new service will weaken this monopoly and ensure safer, more affordable travel.
According to Md. Khairuzzaman, Assistant Director of BIWTA’s Cox’s Bazar River Port (Kastura Ghat), the sea-truck will initially operate three trips daily. The schedule is as follows, from Cox’s Bazar to Moheshkhali 8:30 AM, 12:00 PM, 6:00 PM, and from Moheshkhali to Cox’s Bazar 7:30 AM, 11:00 AM, 5:00 PM.
BIWTA Chairman Commodore Arif Ahmed Mustafa, BIWTC Chairman Md, attended the event. Salimullah, Cox’s Bazar Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Salahuddin, Police Superintendent Saifuddin Shaheen, and other senior officials.
By Abdur Rashid Manik
Photo: Abdur Rashid Manik
