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Launches being repaired to sail with Eid travellers

Pankaj Karmakar
With Eid-ul-Fitr around the corner, many private launch operators like every year are hectically repairing and refurbishing their faulty vessels to attract homebound passengers.
These launches with faults either in engines or bodies need repair for safe sailing during the huge rush of people on the Eid holidays, say launch operators and governmentofficials.
Visiting different foreshore dockyards in Keraniganj, it was seen that around a hundred passenger vessels, many of those rusted, were undergoing repair.
This correspondent talked to the staff of around 30 launches and most of them claimed that they had annual fitness certificates, but they were fixing some minor faults to ensure maximum safety. Besides, the owners want to give a good look to their vessels to attract passengers.
Some of these launches are MV Mohanagori, MV Flotila, MV Bandhan-7, MV Nazma Khan, MV Shahidut, MV Rajdut-7, MV Sundarban-7, MV Tipu-4, and MV Panama.
"After plying round the year, it is usual that they would develop some faults in engines or the bodies would rust or grow pale. So, we repair and paint them," said Abul Kalam, adriverofMVFlotila.
Every launch has to have its fitness survey done annually by the government. Many operators want to do it before Eid.
"We repair our launches before every Eid-ul-Fitr to obtain the annual fitness certificate as well as dealing with the additional pressure of passengers," said Mamun, a staff ofBagerhat-1 launch.
"Eid holidays are the golden period for our business. If our launch suddenly breaks
down due to faults in the engine, it will result in a huge loss and may cause major accidents during the mad rush. Which is why we want to ensure maximum fitness of our vessels," said Nasiruddin, a staff of MV Panama.
Officials of the Department of Shipping (DoS), the regulatory body of the water transport sector, however, have expressed their firm determination to check plying of unfit vessels.
"We have kept sharp vigilance so that unfit vessels cannot navigate. We are regularly checking and monitoring their fitness," said Mirza Saifur Rahman, ship surveyor of the DoS.
The department has issued notices to over a dozen faulty launches to repair those in about last one month, said Rahman, adding that the launches, which received notices, included MV Bandhan, MV Asa-Jawa, MV Prince, and MV Glory.
Around 800 registered passenger vessels are plying on the country's inland river routes, he said.
Saidur Rahman Rintu, vice chairman of Bangladesh Inland Waterways (passenger carrier's) Association, a platform of private launch owners, said, "The vessels, which are undergoing repair, are not unfit. We are just giving those a facelift. No unfit vessel will ply."
In the past, many accidents occurred because of unfit vessels. According to the Green Club of Bangladesh, a nongovernment organisation, at least 430 people died in water transport accidents last year.
Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) officials say around 8 lakh people leave the capital in the last seven days ahead of Eid through the Sadarghat Launch Terminal.