Narayanganj motorboat capsize: Launch that hit is seized, 4 held

A team of Keraniganj Police Station has detained four people, including the driver and master of the launch MV Farhan-6 which hit the motorboat carrying passengers this morning on the Buriganga River in Narayanganj.

Babu Lal Baidya, assistant director of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) in Narayanganj confirmed the development to our Narayanganj correspondent.

Police will take legal action in this connection, he said.

Besides, the MV Farhan-6 launch was seized and brought to a dockyard in the Kaliganj area of Dhaka this evening, said Md Kaium Ali Sardar, officer-in-charge of Sadarghat River Police. 

"We seized the launch. However, one of the engines of the launch went out of order. The launch was taken to the dockyard of the launch owner. A case will be filed at Narayanganj River Police Station in this connection," said the OC.

At least nine passengers including children are still missing from the boat capsize.

The missing persons whose identified have been confirmed are Abdullah (22), Motaleb (42), Sabbir (18), Billal Hossain, Jasmine Akhter (32), Tamim Khan (8), Tafsia (2), Tasmim alias Taslima (15), and Awlad, said Abdullah Al Arefin, deputy assistant director of Narayanganj Fire Service and Civil Defense.

The motorboat sank around 9:00 am. On information, two units of fire service have rushed to the spot and are carrying out rescue operations, Rashed Bin Khalid, duty officer of Fire Service Control Room, told The Daily Star.

Locals told fire officials that around 50 people were on board when the accident took place. Most of them could swim ashore, the fire official said.

Later, members of the Bangladesh Coast Guard and River Police joined the rescue operation.

Narayanganj Sadar Upazila UNO Rifat Ferdous said the rescue operation was suspended for today due to foggy weather. The operation will start at 8:00 am tomorrow.