Two launches of the Dhaka-Barisal route were damaged in two separate accidents in Barisal on Friday night but there were no reports of any casualties. Twenty passengers were, however, reported to have been injured.
The two vessels were carrying several thousand Dhaka-bound passengers returning after the Eid.
The authorities have assured stern action against the captains of the launches involved in the accidents.
MV Tasrif-3, a triple-decker launch of the 161-km Barisal-Dhaka route with about 3,000 passengers on board was hit by another triple-decker launch of the same route, MV Sundarban-8, around 7:30 pm on Friday near the Barisal port.
The front portion of the launch was badly damaged and developed a crack. About 10 passengers were injured in the accident. But the launch managers ignored the harm caused to the vessel and left Barisal Ghat. The vessel was later anchored at the Shoular ‘char’, as water had begun entering.
Over three hundred passenger left the launch to save their lives by hiring a trawler and some took shelter on the char land, said Md. Salim, a member of the launch staff.
Md Rasel, the captain of the vessel, admitted the damage caused to the launch but said there were no casualties.
The accumulated water was pumped out and repairs done to enable the launch resume its journey, though under risky conditions. But the passengers forced the captain to anchor at Charmoni Ghat under the Bander Police Station.
Later, a team of the Barisal port authority representatives and river police rushed to the spot to provide technical support. The damaged portion with the crack was sealed and the launch left Barisal around 11:30 pm last night.
In another collision, the rear of passenger launch MV Chalanger was badly damaged after being hit by a triple-deck launch, MV Kirtonkhola-2, around 7.30 pm on Friday. The damage to the vessel was estimated to be about Tk. 5 lakhs in monetary terms.
Ten passengers sleeping on the deck and in the cabin were injured. A team visited the spot and issued show-cause notices to the captains of the both launches. The committee will submit a report after getting the answers of the two captains, said Barisal port officer Md Mustafizur Rahman.
He said M V Sundarban-8, a triple-deck launch plying on the Dhaka-Barisal route hit the front side of MV Tasrif-3 of the same route, as its gear had failed. It also hit the main pontoon of the port while anchoring.
Following the twin accidents, people returning to Dhaka after Eid are wary of taking the river route. Abuk Kalam Azad, a victim of the Friday night incident, said about 4,000 passengers had a miraculous escape.
Azmal Hula Sarker, deputy director of the Barisal river safety and traffic management of BIWTA, said show-cause notices had been issued to the Masters of both launches.
He said that the Barisal port management would report to the proper authority, recommending the cancellations of the driving certificate of both Masters if not satisfied with their replies.
Local sources said that in order to earn extra money, launch owners, in the name special service, were engaged in a fierce competition and resorted to high speed to reach Dhaka in the shortest possible time and return to Barisal to pick up fresh groups of passengers returning after Eid.
The lives of the passengers were under high risk, said Dr Mijanur Rahman, secretary of the Barisal Bivag Swatho Songrokkhon committee.
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Editor : M. Shamsur Rahman
Published by the Editor on behalf of Independent Publications Limited at Media Printers, 446/H, Tejgaon I/A, Dhaka-1215.
Editorial, News & Commercial Offices : Beximco Media Complex, 149-150 Tejgaon I/A, Dhaka-1208, Bangladesh. GPO Box No. 934, Dhaka-1000.
Editor : M. Shamsur Rahman
Published by the Editor on behalf of Independent Publications Limited at Media Printers, 446/H, Tejgaon I/A, Dhaka-1215.
Editorial, News & Commercial Offices : Beximco Media Complex, 149-150 Tejgaon I/A, Dhaka-1208, Bangladesh. GPO Box No. 934, Dhaka-1000.