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Probe Report on Feb 28 Launch Accident

Overloading, unskilled masters key reasons

Staff Correspondent
The government yesterday made public the probe report on February 28 launch accident in the Buriganga, which identified lack of skill of masters of the launch and the sand-carrying barge that collided, and over loading and faulty construction of the launch as main causes of the accident.
This is for the first time a government-formed probe body's report on launch accident has been published.
Captain AKM Shafiqullah, director general (DG) of the Department of Shipping (DOS),
presented the report at a press conference at his office more than a month after it was submitted to the shipping ministry.
The report also blamed the sukani (asssiant to the master) of the barge MV Al-Amin and its machine operator, and the owner of the passenger launch MV Shourav-1 for the accident that claimed at least 49 lives as the launch sank.
Gross irregularities and negligence of duty of an inspector and berthing sareng (helmsmen) of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) and two surveyors and an inspector of
the DOS also contributed to the tragic accident, the report.
'We have already started taking action against the persons found guilty of the accident, and have taken initiative to implement recommendations of the probe committee," Shafiqullah told the press conference.
The government on February 28 formed the five-member probe committee, headed by joint secretary of the shipping ministry Abdul Matin, to find out the causes of the accident, people responsible for it and recommend measures to prevent recurrence of such accidents. It was given seven days' time.
The DG said they have filed a case with the marine court against persons found to have neglected their duties, and have also started departmental case as per rules.
On the basis of the probe body's recommendations, the BIWTA has launched a drive with 22 officials taking action against unfit and unsurveyed river transports operating in different routes. The drive also seeks to involve district administration and police administration in inspecting launches and vessels on a regular basis.
A mobile court also started operation on 1 uesday at Sadarghat in the capital to take action against illegally operating marine vessels and violators of river traffic rules, he mentioned.
Moreover, a process is on to form a permanent marine investigation cell to check accidents in waterways and to form a strong marine police force to strictly enforce river traffic rules initially on the 112 km waterways around the capital.
Shafiqullah said they have also taken some steps to reduce launch accidents. The steps include keeping the design of every launch and vessel inside it to enable an inspector to identify its fault, if any, and inscribing registration number on the body of every launch or vessel so that the same number cannot be used by others.
The ladders of all lunches and vessels have been cut down to prevent people from climbing on their roofs, he said. And masters of passengers launches have been asked to complete training course to increase their skill.
According to regular survey of the DOS, about 4,300 lunches ply the river routes. These include 2,100 passenger launches and about 200 big vessels while the rest are cargo carrying transports, the DGsald.