Md Joynal Abedin Khan :
The Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) has finally abandoned the rescue operation of the luxurious Green Line-2 launch and the cargo ship which were capsized following a head on collision in the Kirtankhola River in Barisal on Saturday.
Instead, the BIWTA has asked the owners to salvage their vessels by themselves from the river as it has no logistic support and capacity to conduct any fruitful rescue operation.
Meanwhile, the BIWTA’s rescue vessel MV NIRVIK, which has a capacity to pull out a maximum 250 tonnes, left the spot on Sunday as the weight of the two sinking launch and cargo was 645 tonnes and 1,270 tonnes respectively, official sources said.
The weight of the two vessels further increased after their capsized in the river that was a matter of fear for MV NIRVIK, the officials said, adding that the sinking vessels could be pulled out with the help of privately-owned rescue vessels.
On Saturday, about 645-tonne MV Green Line-2 was capsized after hitting a coal-laden cargo weighing around 1,270 tonnes MV Masud-Mamun-1 in the Kirtankhola River that could not be pulled out in the safe possession.
Earlier, the BIWTA also delayed to conduct several salvation operations in many water routes that led to the death of several hundred people and damages of huge assets.
In this context, the passengers of different water routes have become worried as the BIWTA has repeatedly made confessions that they have no capacity to rescue heavy vessels.
Rubel Mia, a passenger of the launch, said, “Over 400 passengers and crews were in the launch at that time of the accident. The launch has a capacity to house around 700 passengers. The negligence of the driver is the cause of the incident which could be fatal.”
Afia Sultana, who was also a passenger of the launch, said that she is worried as the rescue vessel left the spot without conducting operation due to its incapability.
Anik Hasan, Assistant Manager of the MV Green Line-2, said that the damaged vessel will have to be rescued by them as the BIWTA informed that they have no capacity to rescue the vessel.
We have saved the passengers with the help of MV Sundarbans-12, he said.
The Launch Owners Samity’s Central Vice-President Saidur Rahman Rintu said that the passengers in water routes is in fear as the government has failed to take proper steps to rescue any big capsized launch.
BIWTA’s Barisal River Port Traffic Inspector Md Riad Hossain said that they have lack of manpower and logistic support to conduct any big rescue operation.
The Green Line launch officials said that the bottom of the launch cracked after hitting the cargo near the erosion affected area of Lamchhari under Sadar area around 3:20pm on Saturday.
We have tried to save the lives as the first priority as it was impossible to bring the launch to the bank of the river, they said.
Earlier, at least 100 passengers of MV Mustafa died when the vessel was sank hit by a cargo in Padma river in 2014 and more than 112 people died when a ferry collided in the Meghna River with an oil tanker in 2012.
Besides, more than 28 people died as a passenger launch capsized with more than 200 passengers during a heavy monsoon storm in the Meghna River near Munshiganj on May 25 in 2014.
The Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) has finally abandoned the rescue operation of the luxurious Green Line-2 launch and the cargo ship which were capsized following a head on collision in the Kirtankhola River in Barisal on Saturday.
Instead, the BIWTA has asked the owners to salvage their vessels by themselves from the river as it has no logistic support and capacity to conduct any fruitful rescue operation.
Meanwhile, the BIWTA’s rescue vessel MV NIRVIK, which has a capacity to pull out a maximum 250 tonnes, left the spot on Sunday as the weight of the two sinking launch and cargo was 645 tonnes and 1,270 tonnes respectively, official sources said.
The weight of the two vessels further increased after their capsized in the river that was a matter of fear for MV NIRVIK, the officials said, adding that the sinking vessels could be pulled out with the help of privately-owned rescue vessels.
On Saturday, about 645-tonne MV Green Line-2 was capsized after hitting a coal-laden cargo weighing around 1,270 tonnes MV Masud-Mamun-1 in the Kirtankhola River that could not be pulled out in the safe possession.
Earlier, the BIWTA also delayed to conduct several salvation operations in many water routes that led to the death of several hundred people and damages of huge assets.
In this context, the passengers of different water routes have become worried as the BIWTA has repeatedly made confessions that they have no capacity to rescue heavy vessels.
Rubel Mia, a passenger of the launch, said, “Over 400 passengers and crews were in the launch at that time of the accident. The launch has a capacity to house around 700 passengers. The negligence of the driver is the cause of the incident which could be fatal.”
Afia Sultana, who was also a passenger of the launch, said that she is worried as the rescue vessel left the spot without conducting operation due to its incapability.
Anik Hasan, Assistant Manager of the MV Green Line-2, said that the damaged vessel will have to be rescued by them as the BIWTA informed that they have no capacity to rescue the vessel.
We have saved the passengers with the help of MV Sundarbans-12, he said.
The Launch Owners Samity’s Central Vice-President Saidur Rahman Rintu said that the passengers in water routes is in fear as the government has failed to take proper steps to rescue any big capsized launch.
BIWTA’s Barisal River Port Traffic Inspector Md Riad Hossain said that they have lack of manpower and logistic support to conduct any big rescue operation.
The Green Line launch officials said that the bottom of the launch cracked after hitting the cargo near the erosion affected area of Lamchhari under Sadar area around 3:20pm on Saturday.
We have tried to save the lives as the first priority as it was impossible to bring the launch to the bank of the river, they said.
Earlier, at least 100 passengers of MV Mustafa died when the vessel was sank hit by a cargo in Padma river in 2014 and more than 112 people died when a ferry collided in the Meghna River with an oil tanker in 2012.
Besides, more than 28 people died as a passenger launch capsized with more than 200 passengers during a heavy monsoon storm in the Meghna River near Munshiganj on May 25 in 2014.
