BIWTA has charged six people including the owner of the passenger ferry, ML Pinak-6, its pilot and helmsman with causing death by negligence after the vessel sank with around 350 on board in the Padma River in Munshiganj’s Mawa.
Transport Inspector Jahangir Bhuiyan lodged a case at Louhajang Police Station on Tuesday naming the owner, AB Siddique Kalu, and others, Munshiganj Deputy Commissioner Md Saiful Hasan Badal said.
The six have been booked under the Sections 280, 282 and 304 (b) of the Bangladesh Penal Code for rash navigation, carrying people in unsafe or overloaded vessel, and causing death by rash driving.
The passenger vessel had around 350 people on board when it capsized in strong currents at the Louhajang turning point in the Padma River while going to Munshiganj’s Mawa on Monday morning.
Two bodies had been found until Tuesday and 110 were rescued, while the relatives of 169, still untraced, were in touch with the local administration.
The launch owner, AB Siddique Kalu, is the Vice-President of the BNP’s Medinimandal Union unit. He lives at South Medinimandal village near the Mawa ferry terminal.
Launch owners’ association leaders said he was also a partner of the ‘Mawa Express’ launch service, which plies the Mawa-Kewrakandi river route.
A senior lawyer told bdnews24.com that under Section 304 the accused may get a maximum of life imprisonment and fined for any deaths caused by their acts.
Under Section 282, the accused face six months in jail and Tk 1,000 fine if overloading of vessels was proved.
They might also be imprisoned for six months and fined Tk 1,000 in line with Section 280 if rash navigation is proved to be the cause of any death.
“We have found that the launch had around 170 people when it started from Kewrakandi. But it took on board more than 100 passengers at the Kathalbarhi launch terminal,” Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan told reporters after visiting the accident site in the Padma River at Mawa.
“If it had come to Mawa directly, it would not have capsized. Overloading of passengers is the main reason for this disaster,” he added.
The government will take tough measures to prevent people’s lives being jeopardised, the minister said.
Louhajang Police Station OC Tofazzal Hossain told bdnews24.com that the medium-sized, double-decker launch had the capacity for 120-150 passengers but it was carrying around 350 people at the time of the accident.
Source: Bd news24
Everything about present-day Bangladesh seems funny and upside down. Before charging the owner and others for this unfortunate and unnecessary incident, I suggest we charge the overseeing and regulatory bodies of the Government responsible for ensuring that Pinak-6 was not allowed to sail with 350 passengers when it is approved for only 150 in the first place.