Majhar Mannan :
Recently a collision between a sand-carrying bulkhead and a speed boat in Madaripur killed 26 passengers. According to news reports, there is no registration of both water vehicles. Hundreds of people die in launch accidents in Bangladesh every year. On April 4, a passenger launch sank in the Shitalakshya River after being hit by a cargo ship, killing 26 people. Often such launch accidents happen and many people lose their lives. There are various reasons behind such accident. They are overloading, incompetent drivers’ indifference, faulty launch design, lack of supervision, corruption, political interference and negligence. Although there have been frequent launch sinking incidents in the country, we have not seen sufficient instance of punishment against the culprits. Adequate laws to prevent launch accidents have not yet been enacted. A government ordinance of 1976 has been amended more than once but that is not enough. Launch accidents often occur due to lack of regular supervision. Earlier, the Ministry of Shipping had identified 9 reasons behind the loss of life in the launch accident on the river Buriganga and recommended 20 points to avoid such accidents in the future. These recommendations included stopping boat bathing near the Sadar Ghat, removing the ferry, mandating voice declarations, setting speed limits, lifting old-fashioned launches, stop selling extra tickets, and modernizing naval law by increasing penalties, ensuring life-saving life jackets and efficient drivers.
Although launch accidents happen all the time, very little action has been taken against the culprits. According to a survey, there have been more than 400 naval accidents in the last four decades and about 10,000 people have died and the main reason behind all these accidents was obliquity and mismanagement. Of the hundreds of launches operating on the Dhaka-Barisal route, only 10 to 15 have licensed drivers and the rest are all inexperienced and incompetent. There are more than thirty thousand river vehicles in Bangladesh, big and small and only 9000 of them have fitness certificates. The Department of Maritime Transport is responsible for issuing fitness certificates for water vehicles.
The Department of Maritime Transport has 4/5 surveyors to test the fitness of the vessel and it is really difficult and arduous to check the fitness with this number of surveyors. In many cases the fitness of these vessels is given without inspection which is really painful and terrifying. Most launches do not have enough modern equipment and do not have the technology they need to get bad weather news. Although GPS technology has been introduced in some launches, most launches still retain that old style and are defective. Radars are needed to avoid collisions with other launches or vessels, but launches do not have adequate radars.
The law of 1976 provides for a maximum imprisonment of five years, a fine of 1 lakh taka and a compensation of Tk 5 lakh against the owner convicted of a launch accident. However, in most cases, the launch owners are released after paying a fine. There have been many launch accidents in the last four decades and there have been a lot of investigative committees but those investigation reports have not really come to light. A few reports of the inquiry committee have been published but no action has been taken to implement the recommendations made there.
A large number of unfit launches are operating on the waterways at great risk and are often the victims of accidents. There is only one marine court in the country to handle the trial of naval accidents but there is also a complex of cases. There are many cargo ships without registration and fitness and sand carrier launch one of them. These sand-carrying trawlers are one of the causes of accidents. There is negligence of the concerned officials of BIWTA in this case. The launch is supposed to be run by a skilled master or driver of the prescribed grade but in most cases it is not followed. Sand and brick carrying trawlers and cargo are prohibited on the waterways at night but the rules are not followed. There is no Marine Magistrate to look after the irregular navigation of the drivers. The concerned authorities do not conduct regular mobile courts to maintain the riverway discipline.
River police are not there to take immediate action. None of the port officers were given the power to collect fines and punish. In the last four decades, 20,000 cases have been filed for naval accidents, but only 200 have been settled. Again there are not enough divers that can quickly rescue people after an accident. There is no alternative to intensifying patrols for preventing launch accidents on waterways. It is possible to control naval accidents through proper management and proper supervision by strengthening naval patrols. The concerned authorities need to ensure much more sincere, attentive and efficient drivers.
(Mr. Mannan is Assistant Professor, B A F Shaheen College Kurmitola,
Dhaka Cantonment).
