UNB, Cox’s Bazar :
A tourist vessel on its way to St Martin’s island collided head-on with a dredger on the Naf River on Monday.
Dalim Barua, assistant sub-inspector of Taknaf Model Police Station, said the accident took place on Teknaf-Saint Martin’s naval route in Naf River around 10am, as the tourist vessel Keari Cruise and Dine collided head-on with a dredger used in clearing the riverbed of sand and other deposits.
Despite the cruise ship carrying 300 tourists, no casualties were reported, the ASI added.
Delwar Hossain, master of the Keari Cruise and Dine, said he signalled his ship’s presence to the dredging vessel when he noticed it but the latter remained stationery causing the accident.
Jahid Hossain Siddique, Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNB) of Teknaf upazila, said the dredging was going on for the Jaliardia Economic Zone.
After the collision, the upazila administration directed the contractor to make sure no tourist vessels interfere with the dredging work .
