Fuel shortage halts speedboat service on Kumira-Sandwip route, raising Eid travel concerns

A severe fuel shortage has forced the suspension of speedboat services on the Kumira-Sandwip route in Sitakunda for the past nine days, causing significant travel disruptions for thousands of passengers and raising concerns ahead of the upcoming Eid-ul-Fitr holidays. 

The route connects Kumira with Guptachhara in Sandwip, an island upazila where water transport is the primary means of travel.

Every day, thousands of residents, workers and tourists use the 18-kilometre sea route to commute between the mainland and the island.

Under normal circumstances, the route is served by a ferry operating between Bashbaria and Guptachhara, along with 33 speedboats run by three private companies and several engine-powered boats.

However, passengers mostly prefer speedboats as they offer the fastest way to reach the island. But due to an acute shortage of octane, speedboat operations have remained suspended for more than a week, leaving only slow-moving wooden engine boats and the limited ferry service to carry passengers.

During a visit to the Kumira ghat on Saturday afternoon, several speedboats were seen pulled up on the coastal shore, unable to operate due to the lack of fuel.

Local residents say the disruption has made travel extremely difficult, particularly as the Eid holidays approach, a time when large numbers of people return home or travel to coastal destinations.

Ismail Hossain, a resident of Haramia union in Sandwip, said the island’s residents have long struggled with unreliable transport services.

“Every few years we hear promises of better transport facilities, but services often start with much publicity and then stop suddenly,” he said.

According to speedboat operators, two companies together run about 25 speedboats on the route, while another company operates eight more vessels. All have remained idle due to the fuel shortage.

Jaglul Hossain Nayan, owner of RK Enterprise, one of the speedboat operators, said they require about 80,000 litres of octane to resume operations.

“We have contacted different oil companies but have not received sufficient supply yet. Many passengers are returning disappointed from the ghat,” he said.

With speedboats unavailable, passengers are being forced to travel in wooden cargo boats designed primarily for transporting goods, raising safety concerns.

Officials said efforts are underway to resolve the problem before the peak Eid travel period begins.

Upazila Nirbahi Officer of Sitakunda, Md Fakhrul Islam, said the administration is in contact with fuel suppliers and other stakeholders to restore the speedboat service soon. “We are trying to resolve the issue as quickly as possible so that passengers can travel safely during the Eid holidays,” he said.