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Insurance plan for passengers ditched

Welfare fund launched

Rafiq Hasan
The government has abandoned its mandatory life insurance plan for marine passengers in the face of opposition by launch owners.
Instead, it introduced a welfare fund on July 1 for passengers killed or injured in launch accidents, shipping ministry sources said.
"The proposed mandatory life insurance for launch passengers was abandoned as launch owners pressed for a number of provisions, which go in favour of them," said a top official of the shipping ministry.
Shipping Minister Akbar Hossain also admitted that life insurance for launch passenger coulcL not be
introduced because of non-coopoeration of launch owners.
'Chairman of Bangladesh Launch Owners Association Kalimullah could not be contacted for his comment
A trustee board headed by tire chairman of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWI’A) has been formed to run the fund and compensatelauneh mishap victims.
However, the amount of com pensa tion is yet to be decided.
Earlier in 2000, the government had proposed to amend the Insurance Act, 1938 to bring marine passengers under mandatory life insurance coverage. The act covers pensation is yet to be decided.
Earlier in 2000, the government had proposed to amend the Insurance Act, 1938 to bring marine passengers under mandatory life insurance coverage. The act covers road transport passengers.
Meanwhile, entry fee at Sadargaht launch terminal in the city has been increased to Tk 4 a person from Tk 3 earlier. The additional Tk 1 will go to the welfare fund.
About Tk 50 to 60 lakh will be raised for the fund, sources said.
Entry fee at other terminals across the country might also be raised in phases to collect money for the fund.
A senior government official said the government had earlier announced compensation for victims of two launch accidents on April 21 this year. The amount was Tk 20,000 each for the victims in the capsize of MV Mitali and Tk 10,000 each in the case of MV Majlishpur.
MV Mitali sank in the Buriganga with 131 passengers and MV Majlishpur in a river in Brahmanbaria with 51 passengers.
BIWTA officials of said as per the government decision, the welfare fund will compensate victims of launch misahps after April 21 this year.