6 including owner of sunken launch sued
6 including owner of sunken launch sued
Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) sued six people including the owner of the launch capsized in Padma river on Monday that left around 120 passengers missing.
Jahangir Bhuiyan, transport inspector of BIWTA lodged the lawsuit with Lauhajang Police Station against AB Siddique owner of the launch its master driver and other staffs around 7:30pm.
Legal steps would be taken against owner of the launch and other person who were responsible for the accident immediately, Deputy Commissioner, Shaiful Hasan, told The Daily Star.
Earlier, the double-decker Pinak-6 with over 200 people on board was on its way to Mawa Ghat from Kawrakandi terminal, and sank in the middle of the mighty river around 11:00am on Monday.
More than one hundred people are feared dead as the overcrowded launch, buffeted by strong waves in the Padma river, sank near Lauhajang upazila of Munshiganj.
Rescuers found it hard to carry out the salvage operation due to strong currents in the river.
The disaster struck less than two and a half months after a launch capsized in the Meghna river in Munshiganj, leaving at least 55 people dead.
The local administration could not confirm how many people had managed to swim ashore. But locals, who took part in the rescue operation, said 50 to 60 passengers had made it to the shore.
Most of them were returning to Dhaka after celebrating Eid-ul-Fitr at their village homes.