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40 big launches found 'unfit'

RAFIQ HASAN
A government survey has found 40 big launches unfit to carry passengers.
Three survey teams, formed last year by the government, classified all the launches into four categories. The launches in category D are totally unfit for plying, while the launches in the category B and C can be improved through some modifications, according to a source.
The source, however, declined to disclose the number of launches in category B and C. According to the department of shipping, there are a total of 2,136 registered passenger launches.
The government last year formed
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three supervision teams, with each team comprising four members, to identify launches built on faulty design or design not approved by the relevant authorities.
The four-member team had one magistrate, one master mariner, one marine engineer and one naval architect.
The committee, after several months of survey, submitted its report to the government recently, according to sources.
Shipping Minister Akbar Hossain said that his ministry received the report and was working on it. "The final decisions would be made on the recommendations made by the experts."
Meanwhile, the government has decided to make it mandatory to obtain approval for the design of a 16 hp (and above) engine-boat, capable of carrying more than 10 passengers.
According to the rules, approval of the design of such engine-boats is not mandatory.
The decision was taken to prevent frequent mishaps, mainly during the monsoon because of regular nor'westers.
The government has also decided to set up a tank tower for testing the stability of the river vessels. The tank tower would be established at a cost of Tk 1.50 crore.
The government is considering two proposals for implementing the decision. One proposal is to give the responsibility to Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) for installing testing facilities and engage the BUET students to conduct the test.
The other is to establish the facilities at a suitable place on the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) land.
The shipping minister said some decisions taken earlier in the shipping sector could not be implemented due to lack of awareness among the people.
He underscored the need for building awareness among the people for avoiding launch mishaps in future.
Expressing disappointment over the response from the private launch owners regarding training of the masters and launch crew, the minister said only five persons appeared for the training while the government had asked for 25 in one course.
He said the government was thinking in terms of making training of all river vessel operators mandatory from the next year.
The minister further said that the government was negotiating with a foreign company to supply echo sound and radar system to passenger launches at a very low price.