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JAMUNA LAUNCH SINKING

Shut hatches stoke fears of bodies trapped inside

150 still missing, 2 bodies found; Patuakhali toll now 82

STAR REPORT
The death toll in Manikganj launch sinking rose to four as two more bodies were recovered in the Jamuna in Shibalaya upazila yesterday, while about 150 missing passengers, who were on deck, are feared dead.
The doors and windows of the launch were locked during the storm, locals said quoting the survi-
vors, who fear the missing people died inside the vessel, reports our Manikganj corespondent.
The sunken launch could not be salvaged until yesterday evening, more than 27 hours after the accident.
Eighteen divers of the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) rescue team started operation at noon but had to stop due to strong currents at 7:00pm. They have identified the location of the launch 40 feet below the surface.
Rescue ship MV Rustam reached the spot at late evening and is likely to start operation this morning, BIWTA sources said.
"Four more divers will reach tomorrow (Thursday) from Chittagong and the Rustam may also start rescue operation from the morning," said a navy official.
The launch, MV Raipura, sank in the river near Arichaghat with more than 200 people on board during a storm on Tuesday. Only 20 people of the Aricha-bound vessel could swim ashore.
One of the bodies recovered yesterday was identified as Biren Roy, a rice trader of Putail village in Manikganj sadar upazila.
Several hundred people, mostly relatives of the missing people, have crowded the bank of the Jamuna for news of their dear ones.
Meantime, the BIWTA has formed a three-member probe team headed by Chief Engineer and Chief Surveyor of Sea Directorate Monirul Islam. JR Sharier and Khabiruddin of the directorate are the other members of the team. They have been given three days to submit a report.
PATUAKHALI LAUNCH MISHAP Two probe bodies have been formed to investigate Sunday's launch sinking in the Bura Gourango river in Galachipa, reports our Patuakhali correspondent.
Police yesterday recovered four more bodies including one child and three women from the river, raising the death toll to 82.
The Patuakhali deputy commissioner on Tuesday formed a three-member investigation body headed by Additional District Magistrate Monjur Alam Bhuiyan, sources said.
The BIWTA yesterday formed another three-member probe body headed by AKM Fakrul Islam, engineer and surveyor of the shipping department.
Both the probe bodies have been asked to submit their reports by May 22, while the local one starts investigation tomorrow, said the sources.
Meantime, the BIWTA will compensate the families of each person died in the accident Tk 20,000. The authorities have already distributed Tk 2,000 to each family in this regard.
Sultan Ahmed, BIWTA assistant director, yesterday filed a case with the Marine Court against two persons including the launch owner, Sahjahan Khan, also president of the local unit launch owners association.
The same launch under the name the Queen of Patuakhali had earlier sunk thrice due to overloading, leaving as many as 40 people dead.
In an overhaul in 1997, the owner changed the launch's wooden body into steel and also renamed it the Prince of Patuakhali, BIWTA sources said.
The launch was plying on the route from Patuakhali to Char Montaz without permission.
"We had asked all five launches and all single deckers here not to ply on the route from March 15 to October 15 as they are not fit to move in inclement weather," said Sultan.
However, no launches are plying on the route since the accident on Sunday.
Several hundred relatives of the missing passengers are still waiting on the banks of the river. Many are scouring the river for themselves with boats and trawlers for the bodies of their dear ones.