Over a dozen still missing; capsized vessel salvaged
Rafiqul Islam, Barisal
Twenty seven bodies were recovered and more than a dozen are still missing after an overcrowded launch, being hit by a cargo vessel, sank in the Kirtonkhola in Barisal yesterday. The launch was carrying over 100 passengers, sources said.
Witnesses said 35 to 40 people managed to swim ashore from mid-river. The river is about half-a-km wide at the spot, near Beltola-Charabdani Kheya Ghat. They said many drowned trying to swim to the shore.
Rescue vessels of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) pulled out the launch ML Fahmida Happy Express around 5:00pm, about 11 hours after it went down.
Anxious relatives, amid hundreds of onlookers, were waiting on the riverbank looking for their loved ones. Many were grieving the loss of their dear ones.
Hayatul Islam, assistant commissioner of Barisal Metropolitan Police, told The Daily Star around 8:45pm yesterday that 27 bodies were recovered.
BIWTA divers suspended their search around 6:30pm due to poor light. Police and fire service officials, however, kept searching for bodies and survivors till 10:30pm. They are to resume their search this morning.
Like other such accidents, the operator of the launch and BIWTA officials could not say exactly how many people were onboard the vessel as tickets were not sold to all passengers.
A three-member enquiry committee headed by Abdullah Al Baki, additional district magistrate, was formed to investigate the incident, said Deputy Commissioner of Barisal Mushfiq Ahmed Shamim. The committee was given three days to submit its report.
Survivors said the large sand-laden vessel MV Sanim ploughed into the stern of the launch, which was heading for Patarhat of Mehendiganj upazila from Barisal, around 6:30 in the morning.
The launch sank within 10 minutes.
“Something hit the launch at the back so hard that I fell into the river…I was standing on the roof of the launch,” Humayun Kabir, who managed to swim ashore, told The Daily Star.
“I do not remember much else as I was trying to swim ashore,” he said. “My wife and my one-and-a-half-year-old daughter were on the lower deck. I do not know what happened to them,” he said sobbing.
Saiful Islam, a local, said hearing cries for help he went to the riverbank and saw the launch tilted to one side and sinking. He said it sank within seven to 10 minutes.
He said many tried to swim ashore but only 35 to 40 succeeded.
Saiful said he chopped down banana trees and threw them into the river but it made little difference.
Police with the help of locals chased down the cargo vessel at Vashanchar area and seized it. They also arrested its eight crew members. The vessel was taken to Barisal around 10:00am.
The crew revealed that at the time of the accident Haider Ali, captain of their vessel, was sleeping in his cabin. Unskilled Sukani Md Yusuf was at the wheels and he failed to control the vessel trying to overtake the launch, police sources said.
Thirteen out of the 27 bodies recovered so far were identified. They are Dipti Dey, 30, her husband Manik Dey, 52, Mintu Dhali, 50, Rashida Begum, 40, Rumi, 10, Manik, 40, Safura Begum, 50, Mehendiganj Upazila Agriculture Officer Sangkar Kumar Majumder, 40, Rahima, 10, Johra, 11, Syed Farazi, 50, Ratan Majhi, 40, and Kabir, 30.
The local administration was preparing to hand over the 12 bodies to their relatives.
BIWTA officials apprehended that some bodies could have been washed down stream by the current.
Riad Hossain, river traffic inspector of BIWTA, said the capsized launch had the capacity to carry 95 passengers. Fatima Begum of Mawla Navigation Company owns the launch and it had a survey certificate valid till May 31, 2009.
Relatives of deceased Dipti Dey said Dipti was going to Patarhat with her husband Manik Dey, their son Onik Dey (student of class V) and daughter Oyishee Dey (student of class VIII). Their children are missing.
Daliluddin Dhali said his son Mizanur Dhali, 35, daughter-in-law Roshiya, 30, grandson Halim, 7, are missing. However, his grandchildren Jakrul, 11, and Rahima, 6, were rescued alive.
Yasmin Begum, 30, said she with her family members were on their way to Vashanchar onboard the launch. When the launch was sinking, her husband told her to get out with their youngest daughter Nilufar, 4. She was able to save her and her daughter’s lives but her husband Zafar Ahmed, 35, and son Sagar, 8, are still missing.
Mithu, a businessman of Gazipur, said he along with his newly-wed wife Shathi, 18, sister-in-law Bithi, 15, and brother-in-law Shakil, 8, were going to visit Shathi’s grandmother at Mehendiganj. Mithu said all three are missing.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in a condolence message yesterday expressed deep shock at the loss of lives in the tragedy.
Courtesy of www.thedailystar.net
