Traditional paddle steamer from Dhaka to Bagerhat Travel

Riverine Bangladesh. From a very young age, the two main rivers of this country have been associated with my life for a lifetime - the Padma and the Jamuna. Since college life, the Meghna River has been flooded in the same way, because from then on, I started traveling in full force, only during the school holidays. In this way we are fortunate to see the beauty of innumerable rivers of the country. But we will cross the 350 km long river together, again in the same journey, in 20 consecutive hours?

I am talking about traveling in the traditional boat paddle steamer of Bangladesh. The ship was launched in 1929 during the British rule, which was known as the fastest waterway in the world at that time. The four paddle steamers PS Mahsud, PS Ostrich, PS Lepcha and PS Turn started operating in Bangladesh from 1929, 1937 and 1948 respectively. Although initially powered by steamers, diesel engines have been used since 1995. The steamer travels from Sadarghat in Dhaka to Morelganj in Bagerhat four days a week under the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation's 'Rocket' service. From the moment I first learned about this journey I began to count the days of waiting. That wait ended on October 12, 2019.

The journey has been shortened to 7 hours since last year. Earlier, the 27 -hour long tour ended in Khulna. But in the meanwhile a steamer is completely crippled, now it has been converted into a floating restaurant. And the condition of the rest is not very convenient. This is why the journey time has been reduced to 7 hours. It is also rumored that the paddle steamer will be completely shut down at any time. After hearing this, I started to become restless in my mind. Although I feel more comfortable traveling alone, it will be a very bad time to go on this trip alone - that's what I've heard most of the time. So I am waiting for a suitable tour partner.

Our journey started in a small group of eight at 6:30 pm on the 12th. It is worth mentioning here that the paddle steamer carries three classes of passengers - first class cabins, second class cabins and third class decks. For most of the destinations on this route, river travel is the only means of communication with the nearest town. And there are no other launches except the paddle steamer. Apart from such remote areas, paddle steamers are also a major means of transportation in ports like Chandpur and Barisal. Passengers who travel on this steamer fairly regularly, who are in sufficient numbers, usually travel by call.

And cabin passengers are of three types - government officials and other special persons, financially well-off passengers, and travelers. This third and last group includes both domestic and foreign passengers - even in winter the number of foreign tourists is much higher than the number of domestic tourists. Most of these foreigners come from any western country in Europe or America. One of the main reasons for their coming to Bangladesh is this paddle steamer. And for those who want to enjoy the ride, first class cabins although a bit expensive, this cabin should be taken. Cabin rent 3,700 / -. VAT will be added to this price. However, this rent is not for the family cabin. There are a total of 6 such cabins. And getting a ticket for this steamer is not an easy task. You have to go to the office of the shipping company and collect these tickets through advance booking. I was fortunate that another member of my team was engaged in this arduous task. I was basically busy enjoying the journey and taking pictures at will.

Our organizers let everyone know that the start time of the trip was 5:30 p.m. Although I knew it would start at 6:30 in the evening. And I left my house and reached Lalkuthi Ghat and sat in the rickshaw with almost no breathing. At one stage I got down from the rickshaw and proceeded on foot. Running around, I reached the pier just before 6 p.m. The joy of seeing the paddle steamer for the first time in front of my eyes in the late afternoon, the joy I felt at that moment, even though I got it many times in my life by the grace of God, this feeling seems extraordinary every time.

Arriving at the steamer, we first went to our first class cabin on the second floor. This means ‘first class’ in one place, first class in every sense. The front porch (also known as the front deck) was the biggest full moon night of the year, and the fun of drinking tea while enjoying the beauty of the river in the moonlight was, in a word, different! Although the cabin had two beds, an electric fan, AC (which doesn't work most of the time) and a small basin with hand washing system and mirrors, we spent the whole night in the moonlight spreading the sheets.

I didn't just go to enjoy the moonlight, my main purpose was to take a full tour of the whole steamer and take pictures and videos. So after sitting in the room for a while and getting acquainted with everyone in the group, I went to the roof. I also talked to some people there for a while. Even then it was not 6:30. The steamer started its journey at exactly 6:30. We had the idea, public transport, that time might not go that way. But at each destination the steamer fully complied with its scheduled time. As soon as I got down from the roof, I went straight downstairs with the camera in my hand. Starting from the very entrance, I look at every part of the steamer as closely as possible. At the same time, we continue to observe different scenes of 20 hours of different people's lives, talk to different classes of different people, take pictures and make videos.

; If you don't see with your own eyes how many different kinds of goods are transported in this steamer of rocket service, it will only feel like a story. I have also seen the CRT monitor television, which has become history in today's era, being tied to the back of a bicycle. There were living animals. Along with that was a huge collection of wooden furniture, which was being unloaded at Barisal port for about an hour. Many of them went down to Barisal and had a one-time breakfast. Everyone has a reputation for paddle steamer food. This food also varies from passenger to passenger. Deck passengers usually bring their own meals from home. There are also less expensive meals in a small, self-contained small hotel on the second floor of the steamer. And right in the middle of the deck is a large tea shop with a huge supply of almost all kinds of dry food such as chanachur, biscuits, chips, bread, monkey bread, soft drinks, tea-coffee, banana, etc.

First and second class meals are served in the kitchen witnessing the history of the ground floor, wooden chalk is also used in this cooking. I have no idea about second class food. So I will only tell the story of first class food here. Although they can choose the food of their choice from the menu of the steamer, most of the passengers eat roasted khichuri with chicken soup, roasted eggs and anchar at dinner. If you want khichuri for breakfast, you can eat modern bread-butter-jam if you want. Rice, pulses, fish and vegetables were on our menu for lunch. However, the most famous food in this steamer since the British era is ‘Fish and Chips’ - but it has to be said in advance. The first class has a dining hall with two large dining tables. However, the price of food is not included in the price of the cabin mentioned. Like the food system, the toilet facilities of these three classes are also different.

The steamer stopped for about 7-10 minutes at most destinations in each district, only for 1 hour in Barisal. At the same time, the view of the sunrise over the Kirtankhola river in Barisal deserves extra attention. During this stop, many people got on the steamer and went down again. I never thought before that there might be something to see in the midst of that crossing scene of countless people. As soon as the steamer stopped somewhere, the local farmers presented their vegetables and fruits to the passengers of the steamer for sale at the price of water.

I get out of the steamer at every destination, walk around and look around. And in doing so, I became quite friendly with the uncle of the steamer ticket checker. At breakfast the steamer passes through the famous Gabkhan Channel. I have seen the two banks of the river many times before, but this time it was something special. We also see freshwater dolphins several times. But even though the camera was ready, I did not have the good fortune to capture him even once.

Although the government of Bangladesh took full ownership and operation of the steamer in 1972, there has been no change in the steamer from the beginning till today - only the price of goods has increased a little in time. Repairs have been made as needed, but the British-era fashionable, sahebi etiquette is still followed. At the same time, you can order tea and coffee as many times as you like from dawn to midnight, and you can enjoy it by calling the cabin or front deck of your choice. But in order to get the service of this gentleman, you must complete this journey in the first class cabin.

At exactly 3 o'clock in the afternoon, PS (Paddle Steamer) Stern dropped us off at Morelganj in Bagerhat. From there we proceed to our next destination. But that is another story. For those who find the 20-hour journey extremely enjoyable, I say, if you have a travel-loving mind, you will be so fascinated by the beauty of the two banks of the river and the diverse lifestyles of the diverse people that you will feel, Must come!

Thanks

If you like it Upvote Can give.