Narayanganj, Sept 8 (V7N) – Shipping Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam today said the government has a plan to construct roads and bridges within the next four to five years to bring the island district of Bhola under the country's mainland road network, while inaugurating a direct ferry service between Kanchpur and Ilisha as an interim measure.

The minister made the remarks after formally inaugurating the direct ferry service between Narayanganj's Kanchpur and Bhola's Ilisha at Kanchpur in Siddhirganj.

"As Bhola has no direct road connection with other parts of the country, its people have long been dependent on waterways for transportation. To permanently resolve this situation, the government has undertaken a plan to connect Bhola with the mainland by constructing roads and bridges," he said.

He hoped the ferry services would continue until the permanent road connection is established, to facilitate the movement of people and transportation of goods.

Direct Ferry Service

As part of this initiative, direct ferry services began operating on the Kanchpur–Ilisha water route. The minister said ferry operations on the route began on a trial basis on August 27, and experience from the first few days showed significant demand and interest not only from passengers but also from private cars, pickup vans and cargo trucks.

Currently, two ferries named Begum Sufia Kamal and Begum Rokeya are operating daily, with a travel time of approximately eight hours from one end of the route to the other. Considering the strong public response, the government is considering increasing the number of ferries on the route.

Relevant authorities have been instructed to rationalize ferry fares, improve passenger services and ensure discipline at the ferry terminals, the minister added.

Circular Waterways and Water Bus Services

The minister said initiatives have also been taken to make Dhaka's circular waterways and water bus services more effective. He said these services could become more popular if fixed schedules, comfortable conditions for passengers and better coordination between waterways and road transport could be ensured, which would reduce public suffering while also helping to reduce losses in the water transport sector.

Road Repairs and Sand Extraction

Regarding roads damaged by monsoon rains and floods, the minister said necessary steps have been taken to repair the affected roads quickly. He also warned that the issue of unplanned and illegal sand extraction around various bridges would be given serious attention, and strict action would be taken against those responsible if evidence of unauthorized sand extraction is found.

Shipping Secretary Zakaria along with senior government officials were present at the event.

Background

Bhola, Bangladesh's largest island district with a population of around 2 million, is surrounded by rivers and has long relied on waterways for communication and transportation. The government, under Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, has prioritized connecting the district by road through an integrated road network. In August 2026, a meeting chaired by the Prime Minister finalized the Rahmatpur-Hizla-Mehendiganj-Bhola route for the highway project, which would require widening existing roads, constructing new sections and building three small bridges. The direct ferry service is expected to serve as an interim solution until the permanent road connection is established.

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