Bangladesh News

Preliminary investigation into Friday’s launch disaster in Bhola has identified overcrowding as the main reason behind the accident.

“The launch was carrying passengers beyond its capacity and capsized when the passengers were in a rush to get down at a time,” inspector of shipping department in Barisal reported to his director general in Dhaka.

In a fax message on Sunday, he said MV Koko-4 was carrying 2500 passengers but failed to mention its capacity or loss of lives and properties.

The inspector blamed the launch authorities for failing to manage the passengers when the launch arrived at Nazirhat ghat in Lalmohon upazila. The launch sank in about 10 minutes losing balance,” he added.

The seven-member committee that was formed to probe the launch disaster was reconstituted yesterday and asked to submit a report in seven workdays.

Joint Secretary of the shipping ministry Joyanta Kumar Nandi is the convenor of the reconstituted body, says a press release of the ministry.

The other members are Deputy Secretary of the shipping ministry Md Baitul Amin Bhuiyan, General Manager (Marine) of BIWTA captain Showkat Sarder, its Joint Director Md Abdul Hai, Executive Engineer Rabiul Islam, Upazila Nirbahi Officer of Lalmohon upazila Babar Ali Mir and Inspector of shipping department Shafiqur Rahman.

“The committee will submit a report to the government describing reasons behind the accident and the loss of lives and properties,” says the press release.

The passenger launch MV Koko-4 capsized in river Tetulia while trying to anchor at Nazirpur terminal in Lalmohon upazila. Rescuers so far recovered 70 bodies