14 die in Barisal launch capsize

At least 14 people, including seven women and a child, died and 13 others went missing as a passenger launch sank in the Sandhya river in Barisal yesterday, officials said.

The launch, ML Oishi, went down around 11:45am near Dasherhaat village under Banaripara upazila when it tried to anchor on the bank amid strong currents.

About 60 people were on board when the launch capsized, but most of them managed to swim ashore, said SM Aktaruzzaman, superintendent of police.

Barisal Port Officer Mustafizur Rahman said the watercraft had no licence to carry passengers or to ply that route.

"It is not even a proper launch; it's in fact a trawler and it used to ply different waterways in the area illegally," he added.

Before the Eid, the port authorities wrote to the police and the local administration to take action against illegal plying of launches and other watercrafts, he said. 

Most of the victims were from Swarupkathi and Banaripara areas and they were returning home after visiting their relatives on the occasion of Eid, Mustafizur added.

Eight people were rescued alive.

The launch was on its way to Uzirpur from Banaripara. It was trying to anchor at Masjidbari point, which is not designated for anchorage, in the midway for picking up and dropping off passengers. 

"The current was very strong. As the launch was about to anchor, a large chunk of the bank collapsed on its front part. It turned upside down instantly,” said Pintu Haldar, who was on the spot at the time.

The river was facing erosion for the past few days due to heavy rain and current.

Yesterday, the weather was bad with strong winds blowing since morning, said some local trawler operators.

Rokasana Begum, one of those rescued, said when the big chunk of the earth struck the launch, all the passengers rushed to one side in panic, resulting in an instant capsize.

Divers involved in the rescue operation said the river was quite deep at the spot, which was making the rescue efforts difficult.

The police, coast guards, fire service and the local administration are jointly conducting the salvage operation.

Rescuers already located the launch, but the rescue operation was suspended around 7:00pm because of poor visibility. It was expected to resume this morning.

According to the information centre set up by the district administration, 13 bodies were recovered while 13 people were missing.

Another woman later died at the Banaripara Health Complex.

Those who died are Shanta, 10, Kohinur Bagum, 60, Sagar Mir, 25, Shukhen Mallik, 40, Hira Begum, 26, Mozammel Mollah, 60, Rabeya Khatun, 45, Rehana Begum, 30, Firoza Begum, 50, Joynal Hawladar, 60, Razzak, 60, Sattar, 25, Shahana Begum, and Saleha Begum.

The age of Shahana and Saleha could not be known immediately.

A nine-member committee headed by Zakir Hossain, additional deputy commissioner of Barisal, was formed to investigate the incident.

Gazi Mohammad Saifuzzaman, the deputy commissioner, announced Tk 10,000 in compensation for each victim.