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Launch salvage operations beefed up Death toll 78

Star Report
Another rescue vessel MV Rustam is expected to join the operation to salvage the launch that capsized on November 27 in the river Tentulia near Nazirpur launch terminal about 40 kilometres from Bhola district town under Lalmohon upazila.
MV Rustam has already set sail from Narayanganj, said Chairman of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) M Abdul MalequeMiah.
Besides, an engine boat carrying 11-chain coppa left Barisal yesterday to add to the operation.
Meanwhile the death toll of Friday's launch capsize rose to 78 till yesterday, sources said.
IWo bodies were recovered Monday night while three victims, who were under treatment, died in a local upazila health complex.
Over one hundred passengers are still missing, local administration and sources said. Rescuers feared that many more victims were still trapped inside MV Koko-4, which capsized with around 2,000 passengers on board.
BIWTA chairman said whims and callousness of launch authorities, overloading and mismanagement are the main reasons of the accident.
For collecting ticket money, the Koko-4 authorities stopped the vessel around 20 yards away from bank and tried to drop the passengers one by one with help of a wooden plank. They even locked the collapsible gate and kept open only one exit.
He said, as the passengers got panicked they gathered on one side and the launch started to capsize.
The place where the launch capsized is not a place of accident for a launch like it, he said.
The Koko-4 was carrying four times its actual capacity which is one of the main reasons behind the accident, said AKM Fakhrul Islam, chief engineer and ship surveyor of shipping department.
A case was filed with Lalmohon Police Station Monday night in this connection accusing eight persons. Kamal Hossain, a local politician, filed the case.
BIWTA has suspended three officials temporarily for negligence in duties and also for giving false information.
They are Abdur Razzak, director of BIWTA (Reservation and Operation), Rafiqul Islam, Senior Deputy Director also port officer for Barisal port and Shahjahan Khan, senior deputy director also commander of Hamza, the rescue ship, said chairman of BIWTA.
Joint Chief of the shipping ministry Jayanta Kumar Nandi, convener of the seven-member committee formed by the government to investigate into the launch capsize, visited the spot and talked to local people including relatives of missing persons.
DATE EXPIRED SURVEY REPORT
The date of survey report on the launch expired on November 5,2005. According to existing rule, every water vessel must renew survey certificate annually. But the launch was plying on the route for long without such certificate.
OWNERSHIP CHANGED
Tareque Rahman was the first owner of the launch. Then Giasuddin Al Mamun, a bosom friend of Tareque, became the owner.
Nowadays, Fazlur Rahman alias Bachu Mollah, brother-in-law of Mamun and also UP chairman of Sachra Union Parishad under Borhan Uddin upazila, is conducting all businesses of the launch in absence of Mamun.
Bachu Mollah is yet to be reached for comment.
1 COMPENSATION
I Chairman of BIWTA said । they are giving Tk 2000 against each body and also granted Tk 20,000 for the i family of each victim from a I BIWTA fund.
Families with more than ; one victim will get Tk 30,000 r each.hesaid.