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Horror unfolds on Meghna

287 bodies recovered so far, ill-fated launch salvaged

NAIMUL HAQ, back from Shaitnal, Chandpur
As many as 287 bloated bodies have so far been recovered from the salvaged passenger launch that sank in the river Meghna at Shaitnal in north Matlab last Friday.
Rescuers recovered 184 bodies yesterday and are searching for more bodies. The rescue operation was disrupted by storms. District administration officials said many bodies have been swept away in the strong currents.
Bodies of a one-year old child Nazmul, his mother Nazma, his aunt Sajeda and his maternal uncle Zakir Hossain were also found in the salvaged vessel that sank 45 feet down. They hailed from Golachipa upazila of Patuakhali district. Body of an Ansar Commander, Nazrul Islam, was found inside the security room on the deck of the launch.
Earlier Friday night and Saturday, local people, navy
divers, BIWTA personnel and Red Crescent volunteers recovered 103 bodies that have been kept in a private passenger vessel moored at a pontoon in Shaitnal, some three kilometres downstream.
The bodies will be sent today to the southern district of Patuakhali, where most of the victims headed for Friday night, for burial.
Meanwhile, there were allegations of looting of valuables from the salvaged vessel. One briefcase was found broken open inside the pilot's room. Other valuables were also reportedly stolen soon after the vessel was refloated from the riverbed in presence of police.
There were more bodies recovered, most of them drifting downstream, but officials could not confirm the count. Anxious relatives took away many bodies on hired trawler for burial.
"We have no account of the bodies taken away especially at night by the relatives. We were not informed," said
one official of Chandpur district administration.
Heaps of decomposed bodies still lie inside the 19-year-old salvaged vessel MV Salahuddin-2. According to Red Crescent officials, 59 bodies were found in the lower deck, 86 in middle deck and 35 in cabins and near the master bridge on the top floor.
Confirming the count, police said they were trying to have the bodies identified. "We have left the bodies on the deck for the relatives to identify the bodies. After having information about each of the victims we are sending them to another vessel kept for burial," said Ruhul Amin, assistant police super, Chandpur Circle.
"It was a horrible scene when the battered vessel was lifted up," said one of the Red Crescent volunteers.
"I saw several bloated bodies inside the middle deck still soaking with their and clothes ripped off," said Mohammed
Hannan, a local resident helping in the recovery operation.
Sacks full of turmeric, fruits, mostly banana, and current fishing net were seen entangled with the propeller and windows. The body of the master of the vessel was found inside the wheel bridge.
Meanwhile, two teams investigating the incident at the site yesterday started gathering information. One team is to recommend to the government on future measures to avert such incident, and the other to ascertain the cause of the capsize and to help file case with the marine court
"We are here to recommend future safety measures. What we are looking into right now is were there any flaws in the design of the vessel, was it carrying enough life buoy and things like that," said B D Mitra, deputy secretary, the Ministry of Shipping, heading one of the committees.
"There could be vital clues that may help us to suggest the
government to go for changes in policies of plying of passenger vessels and the safety measures," he added.
Meanwhile, the Red Crescent provided some 500 metres of cloths for burial. Initially, the government had planned to bury all the bodies in Chandpur and preparations were underway. But, the decision was changed later.
There was no effort by the administration to avert spread of disease from the decomposed bodies, however. "We have asked for bleaching power to spray on the bodies but the district administration says it does not have funds to buy it," said a source.
US envoy
FROM PAGE 12
Institutional Development of Human Rights in Bangladesh (IDHRB) Project KM Hoque and Director of Imam Training Academy of the foundation Abdus Salam Khan Pathan also addressed the occasion.
The US Ambassador said women play an important role in Bangladesh and in the development of the nation economically, politically and socially. Women should be in a position to fully contribute within societies in ways which benefit society as a whole, she added.
Mary Ann Peters called upon the imams to remember the important role that their wives, sisters and daughters play in building and supporting a strong nation, strong in religious faith as well as strong economically.
She said imams are the leaders of their communities at the grassroot level. "You are in the best position to show by your words, your deeds, your example the citizens of this country that its future is best assured when tolerance and respect for each other prevail."
"The message you spread-of integrity in private and public, of peace and of justice -- is an important one for Bangladesh, for South Asia and for the world," the US ambassador said.
She called upon the imams to disseminate ideas, learned from this training programme, throughout the country and work towards further development in Bangladesh.
The state minister for religious affairs said 300 imams of six divisions were trained on human rights under the programme, sponsored by UNDP and another 50 imams from eight districts of northern region are taking part in the seventh week-long programme.
Terming imams as basic community leaders of society he said a conference of at least 2,000 imams would be held early next month to improve interaction among themselves and exchange views with government officials.
Nor'wester
FROM PAGE 12
houses were completely damaged in the storm that lashed three unions of Sadar and Ramgati upazilas on Sunday.
The victim was identified as Suman, 10, of village Char Jagabandhu under Ramgati upazila.
The badly affected unions are Mandari, Digoli and Hajirpara of Sadar upazila and Char Jagabandhu of Ramgati upazila.
Bangladesh Red Crescent Society distributed clothes and other relief materials among the victims.
UNB adds: In Patuakhali, a youth was killed and his father injured as nor'wester hit the district yesterday.
Locals said Aslam, 22, died on the spot and his father Ful Mia, 55, wounded when lightning stuck their boat in the Laukathi river here at about 12:30 pm.
Ful Mia was admitted to Sadar hospital.
Some 500 thatched houses were damaged in the storm that also uprooted electric poles suspending electricity supply.
AL action
FROM PAGE 1
Mohammad Selim is spearheading a campaign for floating a new political party.
Earlier, just a month after the poll debacle the Al expelled 24 rebels on charge of running in the October polls defying the AL high command. Those expelled include AL Presidium member Dr Mohammad Selim and other district leaders.
In late last November, a joint meeting of the AL Presidium, Central Working Committee, and Advisory Council and the party lawmakers resolved to revamp the party and go tough against the 'betrayers'.
By the first week of December, the AL sent letters to its grassroots leadership seeking lists of party men who worked against party interest. Accordingly, lists were sent to the party and show-cause notices served on them.
A close aide to the AL chief told The Daily Star recently that Hasina was dead against further delay in arriving at a decision about the show-caused party men.
The issue of dissidents apart, today's ALCWC meeting would also assess the overall political and economic situation. Against the backdrop of alleged government repression on its political opponents and the rise in acts of rape and murder, the AL meeting is seen crucial.
However, it is unlikely that the meeting would discuss the issue of joining the parliament, which the 58 AL legislators have been boycotting since day one.
In an interview with a Bengali weekly in New York, Sheikh Hasina has dismissed talks with the government on the issue of her party's joining the parliament. "There is no question of holding talks with a government whose cadres have raped my daughters," Hasina was quoted as saying.
She also called for a stop to 'repression' and filing of 'false cases' against her party men.