Launch operators struggle to stay afloat

Fri January 3, 2025 00:00
Last updated on: Fri January 3, 2025 00:09

Fri January 3, 2025 00:00 Last updated on: Fri January 3, 2025 00:09

Launch operators said demand for their services had fallen as people are reluctant to travel at such slow speeds, especially as the Padma Bridge has significantly improved road connectivity with the south-western regions. Photo: Titu Das

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Launch operators said demand for their services had fallen as people are reluctant to travel at such slow speeds, especially as the Padma Bridge has significantly improved road connectivity with the south-western regions. Photo: Titu Das

Seat reservations for passenger ships plying Bangladesh’s inland waterways, including the Barishal-Dhaka route, have declined by at least 66 percent.

Manufacturers said rotating ships, or launches, and changing their routes were among other measures implemented to reduce their losses, but to no avail.

Now on the brink of financial ruin, launch owners are considering whether to cut their losses by getting out of the business altogether.

Razin ul Kabir, owner of a passenger ship named Suravi, said each trip to Barishal from Dhaka costs around Tk 1.8 lakh in fuel, labor and other expenses.

Now on the brink of financial ruin, the launch’s owners are considering whether to cut their losses by getting out of the business altogether.

But the current volume of seat reservations barely covers half that amount, he added.

For these reasons, there have been no new investments in the launch sector. Kabir also explained how some speedboat owners who left the business cut their ships into pieces to sell for scrap. Additionally, some of these owners who have invested in other businesses are becoming successful.

“We have launched a luxury bus service called Suravi Paribahan on the Dhaka-Barisal route. Already, 12 buses have been added to its fleet,” he said.

Sources at the Launch Owners’ Association said demand for launch services had fallen as people were reluctant to travel at the slow speeds they offer, especially as the Padma Bridge has significantly improved road connectivity with the southwest regions.

However, industry players believe that launch services could survive if the ships were converted to luxury passenger river transport services.

Sources in the Bangladesh Inland River Transport Authority said around 16 launch services were plying the Dhaka-Barishal route before the opening of the Padma Bridge.

However, there are now only four launch services on the route which operate on a rotating basis to reduce costs, with each making only one return trip each week.

“But facing the lack of customers, launcher owners are finding it difficult to meet their operational expenses,” said Abul Hashem, president of the Barisal Noujan Sramik Divisional Federation.

He said that apart from the boat owners, other people close to the company, such as crew members and river port workers, are also suffering from this situation.

“Two-thirds of launch workers have already lost their jobs, and many are unable to find new ones,” Hashem said.

The owners of the speedboat said at least 50,000 people would travel by speedboat every day from Dhaka to various districts in the southwest, including Barisal, before the opening of the Padma Bridge.

However, passenger volume has fallen by around two-thirds since then, they added. A Launch Owners’ Association source said there were calls to sell unused launches almost every month. Already, 10 to 12 launches have been sold for scrap.

Last week, the Adventure-1 launch, which runs on the Dhaka-Barisal route, appealed to buyers on social media, he added.

Saifur Rahman Pintu, a member of the Launch Owners’ Association and director of Sundarban Navigation, said they are not even able to raise enough money to cover the fuel costs.

“We are in default on bank interest payments. At this point, the launch business has become a sick industry,” he added.

Abdur Razzak, head of Barishal river port, said the movement of passengers through Barishal river port has already reduced by around 66 percent.

Earlier, eight launches would operate from the Barisal river port, while there are only two launches currently.

Thus, the revenue from ticket sales at the port counters decreased to around Tk 26,000 from around Tk 90,000 earlier.