The advance sale of launch tickets will start from September 1 ahead of Eid-ul-Azha, said Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) Information Officer Mobarak Hossain yesterday.

The home-goers will collect all kinds of launch advance tickets, including that of cabin, at Sadarghat Launch Terminal from September 1 and it will continue till the ticket stock runs out, the information officer told the news agency.

The Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority will sell their tickets for its five steamers this year while the private launch authorities for 70 vessels, Mobarak Hossain said.

He said that the BIWTA and the private launch authorities must sell their tickets as per the capacity of their launch seats.

Shipping Secretary Ashok Madhab Roy said the ministry has taken all the necessary preparations to avert any accident on the waterways.

He said the law enforcers, including Bangladesh Coast Guard and Navy Police, will remain deployed at the launch terminals to ensure security measures.

The mobile courts will also conduct their drives to check overloading of passengers on the launches.