risingbd.com :Launch accidents on Bangladesh’s vast river network are commonly known to all by which scores are killed and missed every year. At least 4,675 people including women and children had been killed in dozens of launch accidents in Bangladesh in last 39 years, according to the directorate of sea transport. Among them, 1,145 people were killed in last 10 years’ launch incident including launch capsize and others and injured at least 126 while still missing 152 people in the frequent incidents. On the other hand, about 200 launch accidents had taken place from 2005 to 2014, says the sea transport sources. According to the sources, in 1976 to 1984, there were 34 launch incidents that killed 216 people and 142 incidents had occurred from 1985 to 1994 which killed 1,375 people and injured 80 nearly while 181 accidents had happened from 1995 to 2005 killing 1,939 and hurt 309 while 248 people were missing in the incidents. In other, deadly accidents, around 248 people lost their lives in 2005 while 51 people were killed in 2006 in the incidents. “In 2012, at least 17 launch incidents happened in the country which killed and perished 180 people and hurt at least three from the incidents,” the source added. And recently, in another deadly accident, at least 57 dead bodies were recovered after a launch with more than 300 passengers capsized in the Meghna river in Munshiganj.
