Description : People cross the Karnaphuli River in the port city aboard traditional sampan boats. Estimated 20,000–25,000 commuters rely on around 215 sampans each day, operating from dawn until midnight to connect the two banks of the river. The Sampans have been linking lives on both sides of the Karnaphuli River for roughly two centuries, serving as a vital mode of community transport and a cultural symbol of Chattogram. Bangladesh.