The inaugural voyage of the historic paddle steamer PS Mahsud was canceled due to unresolved fare issues and low passenger bookings. The Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) had announced that the vessel would begin official operations on November 21 on the Dhaka-Barisal route as a tourism service.
The centennial steamer was formally inaugurated on November 15. According to the current plan, it will operate from Dhaka to Barisal on Fridays and Saturdays. BIWTC officials said several meetings were held at the Ministry of Shipping on Wednesday and Thursday, but a fare for the paddle steamer could not be finalized. Advance ticket bookings were also below expectations, with only three to four passengers reserving seats, prompting BIWTC to postpone the inaugural journey.
The Ministry of Shipping has approved operating the century-old vessel without a fitness certificate or gazette notification. Maritime law analysts have criticized the move, alleging the ship was launched without following proper legal procedures.
BIWTC has decided to transfer the vessel to the private tourism sector. A BIWTC source told Bonik Barta, “Dhaka-Barisal route is too long. The ship is not equipped to cover such a distance. That’s why our plan for the first voyage on November 21 was for the ship to make a brief stop at the Chandpur terminal before continuing to Barisal. Eventually, the vessel will be handed over to private tourism operators. Tenders have already been issued, and the process for transferring the vessel to the highest bidder on November 26 is ongoing.”
The source added that investors believe the ship cannot operate profitably on the Dhaka-Barisal route. However, it could be viable for day trips or half-day trips on shorter routes, such as Dhaka-Munsiganj-Chandpur or near the Padma Bridge. This approach is expected to serve both tourism and heritage preservation goals. The government will set various conditions based on investor proposals, according to officials.
Meanwhile, although PS Mahsud was scheduled for its first voyage on November 21, the vessel has yet to receive legal clearance for operation. A source at the Ministry of Shipping told Bonik Barta that the government had previously approved running the centennial vessel, but after two trips, operations were halted following objections from the Department of Shipping (DOS). Passenger shortages and excessive fuel costs were also cited as reasons for suspending service.
After remaining inactive for three years, BIWTC decided to revive the vessel under the encouragement of the shipping adviser. A letter was sent to DOS requesting a fitness certificate for PS Mahsud. DOS responded with 21 types of deficiencies in the vessel.
BIWTC later addressed these issues and submitted a new request for fitness and operational approval. DOS engineer and ship surveyor Mohammad Ahatasanul Haque Fakir conducted a detailed inspection and submitted a report on October 23. The report noted that most of the previously identified deficiencies had been corrected. However, navigation equipment, safety and firefighting systems, life-saving equipment, structural condition, certification, and government fees are typically checked during annual surveys, and PS Mahsud had not undergone a recent update.
The report further stated that the vessel was built in 1923 in Kolkata. Under Section 30(1) of the Inland Shipping Ordinance 1976, vessels older than 40 years are generally ineligible for operational approval. Legally, the DOS engineer and ship surveyor at Sadarghat, Dhaka, cannot authorize its operation. While the vessel may be operational, DOS must issue the necessary measures or directives before it can legally operate.
Maritime law experts emphasized that, just as road vehicles require registration and fitness certificates from the BRTA, vessels need registration and fitness certification from DOS. Verbal or written instructions from the shipping minister, adviser, or secretary do not authorize registration or fitness certification. The Department of Shipping remains the sole authority to issue these approvals.
Mirza Saifur Rahman, chief engineer and ship surveyor at the Department of Shipping, told Bonik Barta, “We have surveyed the vessel. It is operational. However, being a centennial ship, it cannot be legally authorized to operate. Since it is an exceptional heritage vessel, we have asked the ministry for guidance on how its fitness certification can be issued. We have not yet received any instructions.”
Two senior BIWTC officials told Bonik Barta that proper legal procedures are not being followed for PS Mahsud’s operation. “We are being forced to operate it entirely under ministry pressure. But the ship has no legal authorization to run,” they said.
They warned that bypassing the legal process could create multiple complications in the future. “Before any vessel operates, it must obtain registration and a fitness certificate, and its fitness must be renewed annually through surveys. The ministry is currently forcing the ship into operation in violation of the law. Once it is handed over to private investors, legal complexities will increase. The ship will require a new survey within a year. Without annual surveys, safety risks will emerge, making operations more complicated for the government or private operators. There is also a risk the vessel may have to be permanently decommissioned.”
Regarding the lack of a fitness certificate for PS Mahsud, Brigadier General (Retd.) Dr. M Sakhawat Hussain, adviser to the Ministry of Shipping, said, “The vessel does not require a fitness certificate. Under Section 32 of the Inland Shipping Ordinance, 1976, it can operate for tourism purposes. We are not operating it commercially; it is running for heritage preservation and tourism. There is no legal obstacle in doing so.”
However, maritime law experts said Section 32 of the ordinance does not authorize centennial vessels to operate for tourism. The provision only addresses the acceptance of registration certificates from foreign vessels operating in Bangladesh. They clarified that the law is not applicable to PS Mahsud. Section 32 specifically refers to conditions under which a foreign-registered vessel can operate in Bangladesh and the procedures for recognizing its registration and fitness certificates, not domestic heritage ships.
Explaining the matter, legal analysts said that Section 32 of the Inland Shipping Ordinance, 1976, applies to vessels purchased from another country. For example, if someone buys an inland vessel from India, it must obtain registration and a fitness certificate under Indian law. Section 32 then specifies the conditions under which such foreign registration and fitness certificates can be recognized for operation in Bangladesh. Once all conditions are met, the government must issue a gazette notification declaring that the vessel can operate in Bangladesh under the foreign certificates. Even if Section 32 were applied hypothetically to PS Mahsud, a gazette notification would still be required. Operating the vessel without such a notification is entirely illegal.
When asked about these legal issues, SM Ashikuzzaman, director (commercial) at BIWTC, told Bonik Barta, “The ministry has instructed us that PS Mahsud is our heritage centennial vessel. It will not operate commercially. It will run for short-distance tourism as part of heritage preservation. The ministry’s directive is our legal authority. We have no discretion beyond that.”
Under Section 30(1) of the Inland Shipping Ordinance, 1976, a vessel’s legal validity or registration is limited to a maximum of 40 years. After that, it is not authorized to operate on inland waterways. Section 33 states that no inland vessel may operate without a valid survey and registration certificate.
Legal analysts say the paddle steamer PS Mahsud cannot operate under Section 32. Even if it was allowed, it would require an official gazette notification. The vessel could operate under Section 76 of the Inland Shipping Ordinance, 1976, which states that if the government wants to grant an exemption from any provision of the ordinance, it must issue an official gazette notification specifying the reason for the exemption and its duration. All details must be clearly noted in the gazette. Without this process, experts warn a vessel might otherwise operate indefinitely without legal clearance. Even after the gazette being issued, the vessel must obtain a fitness certificate from DOS each year. This is the standard legal procedure for operating any traditional or special vessel after it has exceeded its service period.