Staff Reporter :
The death toll from the Thursday’s launch capsize in the Meghna River in Gazaria upazila climbed to 54 with the recovery of 23 more bodies on Saturday. The sunken launch ‘MV Miraj-4’ was salvaged and taken to the bank of the river.
Deputy Commissioner of Munshiganj Md Saiful Hasan Badal announced the ending of the launch salvage operation at a press briefing in the afternoon at 3pm. He, however, said that the local administration would continue their rescue operation until all the missing people area were traced.
A total of 23 bodies were traced in the river till Saturday afternoon, increasing the death toll to 54, said Gazaria Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) ATM Mahabubul Karim. Of the recovered bodies, 53 were handed over to the relatives of the victims.
But the UNO could not confirm as to how many people were still missing. On the other hand, Dr. Shamsuddoha Khandker, Chairman of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA), announced the packing of the rescue operation at 9 am on Saturday.
Being angered by the news, relatives of the deceased and the missing people launched an attack on the salvage vessel Prataya. The situation was brought under control by local MP Mrinal Kanti Das and Deputy Commissioner Mohamamd Saiful Hasan Badal assuring that the rescue operation would progress.
The accident site was filled with the wailing of the victims’ relatives. The Sureshwar-bound launch MV Miraj-4 carrying over 200 passengers
sank near Gazaria Launch Ghat in the Meghna after it was caught by a violent storm on Thursday afternoon. Gazaria UNO ATM Mahbubul Alam said, no case has been filed in connection with the accident.
Earlier, locals started the rescue operation soon after the launch capsize at Daulatpur in the MeghnaThe divers from the Fire Service, the Bangladesh Navy and the Bangladesh Coast Guard joined the rescue operation. Three rescue ships namely Prataya, Durbar and Durjoy were also engaged in rescue operation.
