100 feared dead as launch capsizes in Padma In one of the worst waterway disasters in recent times, a launch, with as many as 400 people on board, capsized in the Padma river, near Mawa Ghat in Lauhajong upazila of Munshiganj, yesterday morning. So far, 14 bodies have been found and over 100 are missing. Survivors, witnesses and the local administration said the launch, Pinak-6, was carrying passengers in excess of its capacity. The vessel capsized midstream amid strong currents at around 11:00am. Till filing of this report at 5:30pm, 14 bodies were found at the disaster site, local people said. The district administration, however, confirmed the recovery of three bodies. “Bodies of three passengers, two of them women, have been found, while 40 to 45 were rescued,” the Deputy Commissioner of Munshiganj, Syful Hassan Badal, told The Independent. He added that soon after the accident, speed boats, launches, boats and other vessels, anchored at the ferry terminal in Lauhajong upazila of Munshiganj district, rushed to spot and rescued 40-45 people. “Apart from this, passengers who were on the roof of the launch swam ashore,” he added. The local administration also put the number of missing people at 76. Sheikh Hasina has directed the Army, Navy, RAB, Coast Guard, Fire Brigade, Civil Defence, the BIWTA, as well as the local administration, to save as many people as possible and salvage the launch, the Prime Ministers special assistant told reporters. According to the local administration and people, the launch sank due to overloading of passengers and strong currents in the river. The carrying capacity of the launch was 150, but, violating rules, the vessel took on board more than 400 people. Rescuers, including Army personnel and Navy and Coast Guard divers, Fire Brigade and the police have started their work, but strong currents and rough weather are hampering the rescue operation. As soon as the news spread at Kewrakandi of Madaripur district, relatives of passengers started gathering on the banks of the Padma. Heart-rending scenes were witnessed as most of them were wailing. They wanted to know the fate of their near and dear ones. Tara Miah, who was rescued, said: “I had gone to Faridpur to celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr. I am alive, but my wife, son and daughter are missing.” Seema, a teenaged girl of Kanderchar village in Shibpur upazila of Madaripur district, said her parents, brother and sister were missing. Mohammad Matbar of Shariatpur said there was no trace of his wife, sons and daughters. Milon of Gopalganj said his wife and daughter Meem were missing My world has come crashing down. I dont know how I will survive, as I am yet to learn about the fate of my eldest son,” a father was seen crying on the bank of the river Padma Acting superintendent of police of Munshiganj district, Zakir Hassan, who was on the spot, said a special squad of the Rapid Action Battalion also took part in the rescue operations with a helicopter. The salvage vessel, Rustom, was on its way from Narayanganj for rescue operations, he added Besides, divers of the Bangladesh Navy and Coast Guard have been conducting rescue operations. “It is difficult for the rescue teams to trace the launch due to strong currents and rough weather. The river has remained turbulent since Sunday,” the police super said. Most of the passengers were returning to Dhaka after celebrating Eid. Talking to The Independent, Abdul Alim, Maowa zone manager of the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC), said the launch was carrying 400 to 500 passengers. The Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) chairman, Md Samsuddoha Khondakar, said the launch capsized midstream due to overloading of passengers. “About 250 passengers had boarded the launch. Bodies of three passengers, including that of a woman, have been found till now. At least 150 people are missing,” he said. Shipping minister Shajahan Khan, who visited the spot, said the launch was carrying passengers beyond its capacity. “Despite various measures by the BIWTA and law enforcers to ensure smooth journey for homebound and Dhaka- bound passengers, people boarded the launch ignoring restrictions,” he said. In July, seven bodies, including those of four of women and two of children, were found in the Kolagachia river in Golachipa of Patuakhali district. On May, the launch, MV Miraj-4, capsized in the Meghna river near Gajariya, Munshiganj, with more than 300 passengers in bad weather. Many died and others remained missing The government has formed two committees to investigate yesterdays launch disaster in the Padma. The shipping ministry and the department of shipping formed the probe bodies. They have been asked to submit report within 10 working days, said Jahangir Alam, public relations officer of the shipping ministry. The shipping ministry formed a seven-member committee, led by the ministry’s joint secretary, Nur-ur Rahman. The other members are: a representative from the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, a BIWTA engineer, BIWTC chief engineer, shipping department’s chief nautical surveyor and deputy commissioners of Madaripur and Munshiganj districts. The department of shipping formed a four-member committee, led by engineer and ship surveyor and examiner, SM Nazmul Haque. The other members are: Captain Mohammad Giasuddin Ahmed and an executive magistrate. Chief inspector of the shipping department, Mohammad Shafiqur Rahman, has been made member-secretary of the committee. theindependentbd
Posted on: Mon, 04 Aug 2014 19:39:03 +0000
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