Bangladesh is a country of the river, so we have a glorious history of traveling by water. The paddle steamer is such a historic water vehicle in Bangladesh. In the past, several paddle steamers built by the British used to travel the Dhaka-Calcutta route. Later, as the Dhaka-Kolkata route was closed, the steamers traveled from Dhaka to Khulna. At present, due to the reduced navigability of the river, these paddle steamers are running from Dhaka’s Buriganga across the country’s main rivers to Morrelganj in Bagerhat. These 100 years old paddle steamers might stop their services soon or in the future. So, we have tried to dig everything you need to know about paddle steamers in Bangladesh.
Paddle Steamer and Its History
Coal is used as fuel in these steamers, which are almost a hundred years old. In the early eighties, coal was replaced by diesel engines. The paddle steamer is named because the launch moves forward with the help of two large paddles. However, due to the high speed at that time, the steamers became more known as rocket steamers.
Among the few paddle steamers in the world PS Mashood (1926), PS Ostrich (1929), PS Lepcha (1938), PS Turn (1950), and MV Shela (1951) are in Bangladesh. Under the nearly 100-year-old official rocket service, three steamers still operate as public transport on Dhaka – Morrelganj – Dhaka route. The paddle steamers are so old that they are no longer used anywhere in the world.
Read Top 10 Historical Mosques in Bangladesh
The steamers operate on the Dhaka-Khulna route under the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC). The biggest of these are ‘Masud’ and ‘Ostrich.’ More than ninety years ago, in 1928, the paddle steamer PS Masood was built at the Garden Rich Workshop in Calcutta.
During that time, England’s “River and Steam Navigation” company used to operate huge streamers in this country. These vehicles were the main means of communication between Dhaka-Barisal, and Barisal-Goaland.
Paddle Steamer at a Glance
The rocket steamer has 12 first-class and 10 second-class air-conditioned cabins. Two beds in each cabin with their own veranda. First and second-class tickets are sold from Motijheel, BIWTA head office, and third-class tickets are sold in the steamer. In the third class, passengers have to bring their own bed to sit on the deck. The cabins contain two beds, a table, a washbasin, and two fans.
Read Ancient Temples of Bangladesh: Remembering Their Past Glory
While the roofs of all launches are accessible to the general public, there is no way to enjoy the river at night by sitting on the roof of a rocket steamer. Rocket roofs are not suitable for human movement. It has a small room in which the rocket steamer’s captain sits and operates the steamer.
Food and Drinks
If you want to eat canteen food on the paddle steamer, you have to order in advance. The food is cooked after ordering. If you want, you can take a food package of 220 Taka per person. There is also a variety of food, including coral fish and chicken fry as snacks. If you want to carry the food in the cabin, you may need to pay Tk 50 as a service charge.
There are usually two types of menus. A menu with khichuri, chicken, and eggs, and another menu with white rice chicken and two fillings.
Amenities for Local Passengers
The second-class rooms are located on the backside of the steamer, and the rooms are smaller than the first class. These rooms do not come with a washbasin or linen. However, Shower rooms and toilets are shared by the first- and second-class passengers. Between the first and second classes, inter and deck classes are available. The deck passengers have common toilets to use.
