Inland waterways form an important part of the transportation system in riverine Bangladesh, but this mode of transport is not being operated in an efficient way. Every year significant numbers of accidents are occurring in the waterways and lots of people are losing life, getting injured or being reported as missing. Media reports published in national dailies on Saturday said that at least 21 people, including seven children, were killed and scores remain missing after a passenger engine boat, packed with over 100 people, capsized in Laishka Canal of Bijoynagar Upazila in Brahmanbaria on Friday evening.
The report, referring to survivors and witnesses, said a sand laden trawler collided head on with the passenger boat in the Laishka Canal. At about the same time, two other cargo vessels, which were coming from opposite directions, hit the trawler that also capsized quickly. Local people immediately began the rescue work. Later, police and fire service personnel joined them. So far all the 21 recovered bodies have been identified. The recovered bodies were sent to the Brahmanbaria general hospital from where those were handed over to relatives of the victims. The district administration has formed a three-member committee headed by the additional district magistrate to investigate the accident and submit a report within ten days. The families of the victims would be given Tk 20,000 each from the district administration.
Inland water transport is the easiest and the most cost-effective means to carry passengers and merchandise in Bangladesh. However water accidents have been a huge concern for a long time in the country. Every year numerous accidents are taking place in the waterways of the country. The accidents occur due to several causes, such as human or mechanical error plus faulty designs of vessels. Considering the importance of water transport, immediate steps should be taken to improve safety and efficiency of this mode of transportation. It’s not clear why water vessels with faulty designs will be allowed to ply despite there being a full-fledged department of shipping empowered not to give registration to such vessels.
