Launch Capsize: 3 more bodies recovered in Sandhya
Bodies of three more people who were missing after a launch capsized in the Sandhya river in Barisal's Banaripara upazila three days ago were recovered yesterday.
However, there was confusion over the number of people died in the launch capsize. Police on Thursday had put the death toll at 24. But two names were mistakenly included in the list.
Yesterday, police updated the list and confirmed that the number is 25, with the recovery of the bodies of Monowara, Alpana, and Didan.
Police yesterday filed a case against Yousuf Hossain, owner and operator of Oishi Plus, and Nayan Ahmed, another staff of the launch, for their negligence.
Banaripara Police Station's Sub-inspector Mohammad Jasim told The Daily Star that police had put the death toll at 27 on basis of primary information. But later the list was updated with information from some victims' relatives.
There are eight men, 10 women and seven children among the dead, police said.
However, some people alleged that they were yet to receive the bodies of their relatives.
One Tipu Sultan alleged that his relative, Mainul, was still missing. “We have been searching for him in the river for the last two days,” he said.
Around 11:45am on Wednesday, Oishi Plus sank in the river near Dasherhaat village with around 50 passengers on board. It was on its way to Uzirpur from Banaripara and was trying to anchor at Masjidbari point, which is not a designated stop, to pick up and drop off passengers.
As the launch was about to anchor, a large chunk of the bank collapsed on its front part and it turned upside down.
Rescuers managed to recover 14 bodies on the same day. The sunken vessel was pulled up around 8:30am on Thursday. Eight bodies were also found.
Barisal Port Officer Mustafizur Rahman said the launch was not registered as a passenger-carrying vessel and had no valid route permit. It used to ply different waterways in the area illegally.
The district administration started handing over Tk 10,000 to each family of the victims as burial cost.
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