Ferry services between Shariatpur and Chandpur have remained suspended since early Friday due to a feud between former leaders of two front organisations of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party over the control of the Narsingpur Ferry Terminal at Bhedarganj in Shariatpur.
Locals said that several hundred vehicles, including goods-laden trucks, were stranded on both sides of the ferry route as operations were halted without any prior notice.
As of 7:00pm on Friday, the services remained suspended.
Narsingpur Ferry Terminal manager Iqbal Hossain said more than 150 vehicles were still waiting to cross the river.
The disruption reportedly stemmed from a dispute between Momin Didar, former vice-president of the district unit of Bangladesh Jatiotabadi Juba Dal, the youth front of the BNP, and Maidul Yusuf Jisan Bala, former general secretary of the Shakhipur Thana unit of Bangladesh Jatiotabadi Chatra Dal, the student front of the BNP.
Jisan Bala claimed that the government leased the terminal to him for one year starting July 1.
However, former leaseholder Momin allegedly refused to accept the new arrangement.
Momin claimed that he filed a petition seeking a stay order on the lease and that a court had ruled in his favour on July 17.
He alleged that when his staff attempted to take control of the terminal, supporters of Jisan Bala prevented them from doing so.
Jisan Bala, however, said he had not seen any such court verdict.
Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority Chandpur port officer Bashir Khan Tipu said the government floated a tender for leasing the terminal from July.
As Momin offered Tk聽1.84 crore, Jisan Bala won the lease with a bid of Tk 2.85 crore, he said.
He added that the BIWTA had not been informed of any court order regarding the matter.