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Safety measures taken for launch passengers

Repairs to many launches made by owners prior to rush of homebound passengers while special security measures have been taken by the authorities

Avik Sanwar Rahman
Bangladesh Inland Water Ihms-port Authority (BIWTA) will deploy special police force to monitor fitness and passenger capacity of the launches to ensure safe journey of the homebound passengers from the city.
"We will deploy special force from the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) at Sadarghat and the river to monitor launches before Eid," said Syed Monwar Hossain, director port and transportation of BIWTA.
According to BIWIA statistics, everyday some 40,000 people travel by launches through Sadarghat terminal in the capital. The number of passengers increases five times to reach about two lakh during Eid.
There are 624 launch services on 222 internal river routes across the country, which are not
enough to meet the huge demand before the Eid festivals.
Some launch owners have repaired their outdated and faulty vessels to add them to the fleet to provide more services for the Eid commuters.
"Currently 300 launches are in operation from Sadarghat and we have repaired another 100 to meet the increased demand in Eid. But this addition is also inadequate," said Md
Karimullah, chairman of Bangladesh Launch Owners' Association.
As launch accident is a regular feature in every Eid season due to overloading, the BIWTA has decided to ensure proper vigilance and improved management.
There are 827 landing stations across the country but only 304 launch stations have pontoons and jetties. BIWIA has no capacity to monitor all the stations and riverway.
After discussing with Bangladesh Launch Owners' Association on November 19, the BIWTA took several measures for launch passengers' safety. The Association also agreed to take necessary safety measures before Eid-ul-Fitr.
According to the decision, the launches should not be overloaded and no passenger should travel on the rooftop.
The authorities have asked all launch masters to keep mobile phone during the journey and keep constant contact with BIWTA over phone. BIWTA already distributed mobile phones among the launch owners of inter-regional routes.
"We have already taken measures to renovate Sadarghat and other ferry ghats, pontoons and gangways. Dredging is going on to maintain the depth and width of the channels in major ferry routes, "said Monwar Hossain.
The authorities have also - taken special measures for
awareness campaign for passengers, launch owners and drivers against overloading and other safety measures for passengers through posters, and advertisements in radio, TV and newspapers.
Hamza, Rustam and other rescue vessels have been kept on alert for salvage operations.
The DMP special force will check the launches if they have adequate safety equipment such as life jackets, buoys and fire-extinguishers, sources said.
"This time we are very cautious about public safety. We don't want to be blamed for a launch capsize for overloading or lack of fitness," said Karimullah. "We have instructed all launch owners to keep adequate safety equipment for passengers." x
The launch owners said they need expert drivers to check accidents, as the lack of expert masters is one of the causes of launch accidents. "The government should provide training for launch drivers," said Karimullah.
In the last nine years, more than 100 launches capsized due to overloading, lack of fitness and lack of expert drivers leaving 1,500 passengers dead and 500 missing.
According to a survey by Consumer Association Bangladesh, • 512 people died in launch acci* dents in 2002 and 842 in 2003. pn May 23 this year, a collision between MV Lighting Sun and MV Diganta took 81 lives and left many missing.