Vessels, passengers at risk due to 'low quality work'

Fall of this steel frame from a crane caused serious damage to the pontoon of Barisal river port on January 31 and inset, gangway of the port got damaged as a launch hit it during berthing at the port on January 19 this year. Launch owners and operators have blamed low quality renovation work of the port for such damage caused by 'slight' collisions. Photo: STAR

Water transports and passengers at Barisal river port remain vulnerable to accidents due to alleged low quality renovation and development work being conducted by ruling party backed contractors.
During installation at a berthing pontoon at the port, a steel frame dropped from a crane on the pontoon shed, creating panic among the passengers and people on the pontoon on January 31, port officials and vessel owners said during this correspondent's recent visit to the port.
The incident caused damage of properties worth Tk 10 lakh.
Earlier on January 19 this year and August 14 last year, the pontoon and the gangway were damaged as launches hit them during berthing at the port.
The incidents caused damage of properties worth Tk 40 lakh of the port.
Kazi Wakil Newaz, deputy director of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority and also Barisal port officer, said authority fined Tk 18 lakh to triple deck launch Sundarban-8 after probing the incident of August 14.
But the fine is yet to be realised as owner of the launch, also president of Barisal Chamber of Commerce and Industries and a ruling party leader, appealed to the authorities for waiving the fine, sources said.
Another committee was formed to probe the incident of January 19 while the responsible launch company men repaired the damage after the January 31 incident, the port officer said.
Saidur Rahman Rintu, vice president of Launch Owners Association, said negligence in monitoring the work and use of low quality materials in constructing and developing the port is responsible for making the port vulnerable to accidents and it puts lives and belongings of passengers at risk.
"Port authorities often blame launch crews and fine owners for the damage caused by such accidents. But if the jetty, pontoon or gangway of the port fails to bear the strain during berthing of vessels and gets damaged, should we load and unload launches anchoring in the mid-river?" he said.
AZM Shahnewaz Kabir, executive engineer of BIWTA Barisal division, said port development works at a cost of Tk 17.6 crore started on March 4, 2010, and was scheduled to be complete by April 30, 2011 but the time was extended four times, finally till March 31 this year.
"Complaint about the quality of the work has not been raised formally and so, we cannot make comments or take action in this regard except strongly monitoring it," he added.
Chhatra League leader Nahid Serniabad and Awami League leader Bazlu Commissioner, both engaged in implementing the project, said cost of construction materials sand labourers increased by 30 to 40 percent during this work period and so the standard, quality and schedule of the works were hampered.
Shipping Minister Shahjahan Khan during his visit to Barisal river port on June 24 last year expressed his dissatisfaction over speed, standard and quality in implementation of the river port modernisation project and asked the authorities to take action against the contractors and supervising officials responsible for it.
Dr Mizanur Rahman, member secretary of Barisal Bibhag Unnayan and Swartha Sangrakkhan Committee, said a strong technical probe should be conducted about the incidents of damage to the port as well as quality of construction and development works there.
Proper action on the basis of reports is needed for safe navigation and transportation of river route passengers, he said.
Meanwhile long time work for Barisal port renovation and development and simultaneous operation of vessels from and to the port remain a nuisance for all concerned.