At Dhaka's central Sadarghat ferry terminal, some 200 large and small ferries that ply daily to destinations nationwide switched off their engines and anchored in the middle of Buriganga river, witnesses said.

The usually crowded terminal was deserted as passengers, fed up with waiting, cancelled their reservations.

The government warned striking owners to put their vessels back in operation or face cancellation of their licenses. It also advised affected passengers to use other means of transport.

The stoppage, called by the Launch Owners Association of Bangladeshthat operates thousands of ferries, also hit scores of ferry terminals in the central and southern coastal regions, a spokesman for the group said.

He said the stoppage would continue until the ban was lifted on ferries operating in the afternoons. It was imposed after two ferries sank on Monday in violent storms killing at least 181 people.

In a bid to stop further disasters, the government has ordered a temporary ban on ferry operations for five hours from 3:00 pm each day -- when storms usually hit tropical Bangladesh at this time of year.

The Shipping Ministry said it would not compromise the safety of tens of thousands of people who travel daily by ferries.

The state-owned river transport corporation on Thursday pressed into service several big steamers which can carry up to 4,000 passengers daily from Dhaka to southern destinations, the Daily Star reported Friday.

The Daily News Today, meanwhile, said LOAB had turned down an official move to discuss the crisis. LOAB insists the blanket ban was not a good decision and big ferries complying with fitness requirements should be allowed to operate.

On Thursday officials said at least 40 ferries that ply daily routes in Bangladesh were "unfit" to operate.

Shipping Minister Akbar Hossain has warned that the ministry would take tough action to force unfit ferries out of the water.

Other vessels, however, would be allowed to operate once they are repaired and meet safety requirements.

"I know we will be under pressure from some quarters, including owners, but we will go ahead as we cannot allow such tragedies," he said.

LOAB officials said up to 100,000 people travelled daily by waterways.

On Monday the MV Mitali sank in the Buriganga river near Dhaka killing at least 129 of its 200 to 300 passengers. Some swam to safety, but police cannot confirm if anyone is still missing because the boat had no passenger manifest, a common omission in Bangladesh.

In a second accident Monday 52 people were declared dead after a ferry carrying a bridal party capsized in the northern Kishoreganj district 80 kilometres (50 miles) from Dhaka.

Ferry accidents are common in Bangladesh, which is criss-crossed by about 230 rivers. They are blamed mainly on overcrowding, faulty design or operators who ignore storm warnings.

Since 1977, some 260 ferry accidents have claimed the lives of more than 3,000 people in Bangladesh.

SPACE.WIRE