The recently inaugurated Chattogram–Sandwip ferry service may be suspended from this Sunday due to deteriorating sea conditions.

The Ministry of Shipping has given consent to halt operations to avoid potential accidents, according to the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC).

"The ferry service may be halted starting this Sunday and will remain closed until October 14," said Gopal Chandra Majumder, deputy general manager of BIWTC's Chattogram zone.

With the onset of the monsoon, the Bay of Bengal has turned increasingly turbulent.

"The sea has become rough. The current ferry, which is not designed for such conditions, cannot operate safely. We've already informed the government, and the Ministry of Shipping has agreed in principle to suspend the service. We are awaiting final instructions from Dhaka," added Gopal Chandra Majumder.

He also said that residents on both sides of the route would be notified in advance, allowing any stranded vehicles in Sandwip or Chattogram to be relocated.

"Otherwise, they will have to wait until October," he said.

The Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) is also preparing to remove two expensive pontoons from Banshbaria Ghat to prevent weather-related damage.

Md Kamruzzaman, deputy director of BIWTA, told The Daily Star, "The pontoons at both ends are costly and vulnerable during rough weather. If the ferry service is suspended, we will remove them for safety."

The Chattogram–Sandwip ferry route, launched on March 24, was inaugurated by Shipping Adviser M Sakhawat Hossain.

According to local administration sources, approximately 400,000 people live in Sandwip, a remote island upazila of Chattogram. For access to education, healthcare, and livelihood, many risk crossing the 17-kilometre sea route to the mainland—often braving treacherous conditions in the absence of regular, safe transport.