14 die in Barisal launch capsize

A dozen passengers missing after small vessel sinks in Sandhya

Fire service personnel and police carry the body of a passenger killed in a launch capsize in the Sandhya river in Barisal yesterday.

At least 14 people, including seven women and a child, died and 13 others went missing as a passenger launch sank in the Sandhya river in Barisal yesterday, officials said.

The launch, ML Oishi, went down around 11:45am at Masjidbari point of Dasherhaat village under Banaripara upazila as it tried to anchor on the bank amid strong current, witnesses said.

It was not clear how many people were on board when it sank, but witnesses said the number would be over 50.

Barisal Port Officer Mustafizur Rahman said the watercraft had no licence to carry passengers or to ply that route.

“It’s not even a proper launch; it’s in fact a trawler and it used to ply different waterways in the area illegally,” he added.

Before the Eid, the port authorities wrote to the police and the local administration to take action against illegal plying of launches and other watercrafts, he said.

Eight people were rescued alive, said Faruk Uddin Shikder of Banaripara fire service unit, which was involved in the rescue efforts.

The launch was on its way to Uzirpur from Banaripara. It was supposed to anchor at Masjidbari point, a local stoppage, in the midway for loading and unloading passengers.

“The current was very strong. As the launch was about to anchor, a large chunk of the bank collapsed on its front part. It turned upside down instantly,” said Pintu Haldar, who was on the bank at the time.

He added the river had been seeing erosion for the past few days due to rain and heavy current.

Yesterday, the weather was bad with strong winds blowing since morning, said some local trawler operators.

And the point where launch was about to anchor was risky due to river erosion, they added.

Divers involved in the rescue operation said the accident spot was quite deep, making their rescue efforts difficult.

The police, coast guards, fire service and local administration are jointly conducting the salvage operation.

Rescuers already located the launch, but the rescue operation was suspended around 7:00pm because of poor visibility. The operation was expected to resume this morning.

According to the information centre set up by the district administration, 13 bodies were recovered while 13 people were still missing.

Another woman later died in the Banaripara Upazila Health Complex.

Relatives of the missing passengers crying on the bank of the river. Photo: Arifur Rahman

Most of the victims were from Swarupkathi and Banaripara areas and they were returning home from their relatives’ where they had gone to celebrate the Eid, said Mustafizur Rahman.

The dead are Shanta, 10, Kohinur Bagum, 60, Sagar Mir, 25, Shukhen Mallik, 40, Hira Begum, 26, Mozammel Mollah, 60, Rabeya Khatun, 45, Rehana Begum, 30, Firoza Begum, 50, Joynal Hawladar, 60, Razzak, 60, Sattar, 25, Shahana Begum, and Saleha Begum.

The age of the last two victims could not be known immediately.

A nine-member committee headed by Zakir Hossain, additional deputy commissioner of Barisal, was formed to investigate the incident.

Meanwhile, Gazi Mohammad Saifuzzaman, deputy commissioner of Barisal, announced Tk 10,000 in compensation for each victim.

Source: The Daily Star

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