More than 700 vehicles, including over 500 goods-laden trucks, are waiting at Paturia ferry ghat in Manikganj to cross the Padma River as the pressure of vehicles has increased suddenly on the Paturia-Daulatdia route due to the weekly holiday.

The passengers and drivers of the stranded vehicles have been going through immense suffering for hours due to the tailback, reports our Manikganj correspondent. The same problem prevails at Rashbari's Daulatdia ferry ghat, sources said.

Truck driver Siddik Hossain said, "I came to Paturia Ghat on Wednesday afternoon." I still have not gotten a ticket for the ferry. I have to remain stuck for days. If the government builds a bridge between Paturia and Daulatdia, our sufferings can end."

Normally 4,000 to 4,500 vehicles run on the route in a day, , Mohiuddin Rasel, assistant manager (commerce) of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWC) at Aricha office said. But due to the weekly holiday, the number of vehicles increased to 6,000-6,500 on yesterday and today, he added.

Emergency goods laden trucks, passenger buses and private vehicles are being given priority to deal with the situation. As a result, ordinary goods laden trucks remain stuck there for two to three days, he said. More than five hundred trucks are waiting at the Paturia truck terminal and on the highway till this noon, said the assistant manager.

"There are 20 small and big sized ferries on the route. Of them, two ferries have been sent to the dockyard and another ferry is being repaired at the floating workshop 'Madhumati' near Paturia Ghat. At present 17 ferries are being used," he said. However, this pressure of extra vehicles will no longer be there after tomorrow morning, added Mohiuddin Rasel.