Launch Accident: Owner of Mayur-2 arrested in capital
Police arrested the owner of Mayur-2 launch, which hit another one causing the latter to sink in the Buriganga late last month, from the capital's Sobhanbagh area early yesterday.
A team of River Police picked up Mosaddek Hanif Swad, 33, from a house around 3:00am, Khondoker Faridul Islam, superintendent of River Police in Dhaka, told The Daily Star.
Later in the day, senior judicial magistrate of Dhaka, Monika Khan, placed the arrestee on three-day remand after River Police Sub-Inspector Shahidul Alam produced him before the court with a seven-day remand prayer.
Mosaddek was placed on remand in a case filed by River Police on June 30 in connection with the incident. SI Shahidul is the investigating officer of the case.
The six other accused in the case are Mayur-2 master Abul Bashar Molla, 65, master Jakir Hossain, 54, engine driver Shipon Hawlader, 45, driver Shakil Hasan, 28, sukani (launch staff) Nasir Mridha, 40, and Ridoy, 24. All the six are on the run.
The accused were charged with negligence that caused deaths and also with some other offenses under sections 280, 304 A, 437, and 34 of the Penal Code.
At least 34 people drowned in the Buriganga as a novice was allegedly at the helm of Moyur-2 around 9:15am on June 29 when the vessel slammed into a smaller launch -- Morning Bird -- causing the latter to sink in the river in the capital's Shyambazar area.
Rezaul Karim Bhuiyan, officer-in-charge of Sadargaht River Police Station, said the master of Mayur-2, Abul Bashar Mollah, was in the launch but sukani Nasir Mridha was driving the vessel when it hit Morning Bird.
"We are investigating the incident thoroughly. The Mayur-2 was scheduled to leave the terminal at noon on that day [June 29]. The vessel was supposed to go to the terminal about one hour before its departure. But on that day, it was arriving near the terminal much earlier than its scheduled departure time…. So we are investigating whether there is any conspiracy," the OC told The Daily Star.
The authorities seized Mayur-2 following the incident.