Cement clinker-laden vessel capsizes in Rupsha

A lighter vessel carrying 1050 tonnes of clinker sank into the Rupsha River in Khulna this afternoon.

MV BB-1134, which was anchored beside the Khan Jahan Ali Bridge (Rupsha bridge), sank around 3:30pm after a crack appeared at its hull, our Khulna correspondent reports quoting Enayet Hossain, commanding officer of Rab-6.

The vessel was loaded at Harbaria point in Sundarbans and was heading to Khulna.

A total of 11 workers and crews were on board when it sank, he said. All of them were rescued with the help of locals.

The Rab official said, they have noticed negligence of the vessel authorities as they did not unload it despite they were aware of the glitch in it.

Huge amount of oil has been spilled following the mishap.

“We felt something was wrong in the vessel from the beginning of the journey, that’s why we tried to speed up and anchor here,” said Rabiul Islam, master of the vessel.