The incident occurred around 3:30 PM on Saturday (July 11). The authenticity of the matter was confirmed by marine engineer Sazzadul Islam of the ferry Mahananda.

According to local sources, the ferry Mahananda departed from Chairman Ghat at the scheduled time of 3:30 PM with passengers and cargo vehicles bound for Nalchira Ghat. After traveling for about 23 minutes, local MP Abdul Hannan Masud arrived at Chairman Ghat by car from Dhaka. The ferry was then turned back from mid-river and returned to Chairman Ghat. There, the MP boarded the ferry with his supporters. Later, the ferry resumed its journey towards Nalchira Ghat.

Jahir, a representative of the ghat lessee, said, "Initially, the ferry master said the ferry would not depart. Later, it left at the scheduled time. But after a while, it returned to pick up the MP. I have never seen such an incident in the history of ferry operations in Hatiya."

A passenger who wished to remain anonymous said, "Everyone was surprised to see the ferry suddenly turn around mid-river. Later, upon returning to the ghat, we saw MP Hannan Masud and his associates boarding the ferry. Passengers were anxious and inconvenienced by such a decision in adverse weather conditions."

Ferry marine engineer Sazzadul Islam said, "Shortly after departing from Chairman Ghat, the ferry was called back for the MP." He added, "Certain protocols must be followed for VIPs."

Ferry master Nurul Amin said, "After the ferry departed, I was informed by the marine engineer that the MP had arrived at the ghat. Following instructions, the ferry was turned around to pick him up and then resumed the journey."

The incident has drawn mixed reactions from locals. Many have questioned the logic of turning back a passenger-laden ferry mid-route for a VIP.

When contacted, MP Abdul Hannan Masud declined to comment. He said, “There is no comment on these matters. Let it be.”