Punish Barisal launch capsize culprits: BJKS

Bangladesh Jatri Kalyan Samity (BJKS) on Friday demanded that harsher punishment be meted out to those responsible for Wednesday’s launch capsize in the Sandhya River of Banaripara upazila in Barisal, reports the UNB.

 

It also demanded giving Tk 10 lakh as compensation from the fund of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) to the families of those died and went missing in the accident.

 

A statement signed by BJKS secretary general Md Mozammel Haque Chowdhury said the death in waterway accidents will continue to rise if the authorities hush up the actual incidents in the name of forming so-called inquiry committees and conducting rescue operations for a few days as in the past.

 

It claimed that such capsize incidents continue to take place as those responsible for previous accidents had not been brought to book.

 

The Wazirpur-bound launch, ‘ML Oishi’, with 50-60 passengers on board sank in the river as a heavy chunk of mud from the erosion site on the riverbank fell on the vessel just after it reached Dasherhat Launch Terminal in Banaripur of Barisal on Wednesday morning, killing 26 people.

 

Two people are still missing in the incident.