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Sunken launch spotted 120ft deep in Meghna

BSS, Chandpur
The search operators traced the sunken vessel MV Nasrin-1 in the Meghna river yesterday afternoon after a six- day operation.
The commander of the navy ship BNS Shaiba 1, Captain ShahiduzZaman, confirmed it.
Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) of Chandpur Md. Nuruzzaman at a press conference said the sunken launch was
traced 120 feet deep in water and 150 feet off die river bank. The launch is covered in sands, he said.
The divers of the navy and the BIWTA said it was not possible to salvage the launch, as the river was very turbulent. "We cannot dive more than 50 feet into the water due to strongcurrent," theyadded.
The BIWIA salvage ships Rustam and Hamza can jointly lift only 120 tonnes but the weight of the sunken vessel is 300 tonnes.
Captain Shahiduzzaman said the salvage operation could only be possible when the river quietens down a bit.
The disappointed relatives of the victims had earlier termed the salvage operation a futile 'eyewash' being convinced that the launch would never be located. They are still waiting for the dead bodies of their near and dear ones.
A rescue operator said, "The hard reality is that it might be impossible to salvage the launch due to unfavourable natural conditions."
Meanwhile, the alternative launch terminal at Madrassah Road in Chandpur town is likely to be opened today as currents at the Meghna-Dakatia confluence are getting stronger, officials of the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) said. They said Tk 2.5 crore was spent for construction of the alternative terminal.
The Deputy Commissioner of Chandpur, Abdur Rob Howladar, told the BBC Radio last night that salvage ships Shaibal and Turag had spotted MV Nasrin-1 sending echo-sound.
"Rescue operators are almost sure of its present location at a depth of around 120 feet and about 150-160 feet away from Puranbazar," Howladar said.
But he said it would not be possible to send down divers and hook the vessel with a floating crane until the river current loses its ferocity.
Meanwhile, Our Barisal correspondent reports:
With another body recovered from Meghna downstream at Ilisha in Bhola yesterday, the number of bodies recovered so far now stands at 131.
People of Lalmohan, resentful and dismayed at the loss of so many lives in the launch capsize, believe the Dhaka-Lalmohan route is controlled by the launch owners not caring for the safety of passengers.
Chairman of Lalmohan Municipality, Enayet Kabir, said passengers have become hostages in the hands of the launch owners.
Sources said the Dhaka-Lalmohan-Dhaka direct route was started with three old-model launches -- MV Nasrin-1, MV Patarhat and MV Salahuddin. These vessels had a kind of monopoly until Coco-4 and Coco-5 joined the profitable route in 1994.
According to the latest schedule, Coco-4 and 5 are running 24 days a month directly between Dhaka and Lalmohan and for six days they ply as local launches touching number of small river terminals on the route.
It is alleged that Coco launches do not operate regularly on those six days and often cancel their trips on different excuses. It happened with one of the Coco launches on July 8 and the passengers and cargo of the launch were shifted to MV Nasrin-1.
People of Lalmohan demonstrated in front of Water Resources Minister Major Abdul Hafiz and Hafiz Ibrahim MP from Borhanuddin to express their shock and anger.
At one stage, police had to rescue Hafiz Ibrahim from the fury of the people.