Salvage operation yet to start

Salvage operation of the sunken cargo is yet to be started, four days into the accident.

No harmful element has been found in the water of the river Passur at Harbaria point where a coal-laden vessel sank in the Sundarbans on Sunday, said Divisional Forest Officer of East Sundarbans Mahamudul Hasan, quoting a scientist.

A scientist of the Department of Environment (DoE) took sample of the water near the sunken vessel on Monday and tested it.

"The dissolved oxygen and pH level of the water is the same as before. Nothing harmful has been found," said Senior Chemist Md Kamruzzaman Sarkar of DoE.

The probe report has been submitted and it is found the necessary documents of the sunken vessel are yet to be provided, said Mahmudul Hassan, DFO  of East Sundarbans.

The owning company of the vessel has not submitted the documents despite repeated requests, he said.

The office will file an application to the BIWTA for necessary documents. After that, if no valid papers are found, a case will be filed against the vessel's owning company.

Harbour Master of Mongla Port KM Waliullah said, “The owner group of the coal-leaden cargo phoned me last night (Tuesday) that the insurance company is harassing them by not giving clearance. So, the recovery is delayed.''   

Lalan Howladar, manager of the sunken vessel MV Bilash, said they have struck a deal with a third party for salvage operation of the sunken vessel and that work might start as soon as possible.

MV Bilash sank in the river with 775 tonnes of coal on the wee hours of Sunday.