Speedboats have long been regarded as the most popular and fastest mode of transport for passengers travelling along the Moheshkhali–Cox’s Bazar waterway, completing the journey in just 15 minutes — significantly quicker than any other vessel on the route.
Alongside speedboats, sea trucks, and gambots, the route also operates. Sea trucks take around 25 to 30 minutes to cross, while gambots require nearly 50 minutes.
Despite the clear time advantage, speedboats charge a much higher fare. Currently, passengers pay Tk 100 per trip on speedboats, compared to Tk 30 on sea trucks and Tk 40 on gambots.
Due to their small size, each speedboat can carry a maximum of 10 passengers.
While the journey is fast and often described as thrilling, it has also raised safety concerns among commuters.
Several passengers emphasize that the absence or misuse of life jackets heightens the risk of accidents.
Moheshkhali resident Mohammad Tarek said, “I travel to Cox’s Bazar regularly. To save time, speedboats are the most reliable option. Even though the fare is a bit high, reaching the destination in just 15 minutes is a big advantage.”
Another resident, Tayeba Begum, shared a different concern.
“I feel a bit scared when boarding a speedboat, especially when life jackets are not given. While reaching quickly is commendable, she emphasized that safety should take precedence,” she added.
Passengers believe that making life jackets mandatory and strengthening monitoring to control passenger numbers are essential to ensuring safer operations.
They say these steps would make travel on this busy waterway faster, safer, and more comfortable.
By Abdu Rashid Manik
Photo: Abdu Rashid Manik
