Overcrowding key reason for disaster

A government probe committee has found overloading and incompetence of the master (pilot) responsible for the tragic capsize of Pinak-6 passenger launch that killed over a hundred people in the Padma on August 4.

“We have identified overloading, inefficiency of the master and negligence of BIWTA officials and owner as the reasons that led to the tragic loss of human lives,” said one of the members of the seven-strong committee, requesting anonymity.

The committee, headed by a joint secretary of the shipping ministry submitted, its findings to the ministry yesterday.

The vessel had an approved capacity of 85 passengers but it was crowded with around 250, said the committee member. “Then the master headed straight for Mawa terminal across the turbulent river, bypassing the actual route to avoid only half a kilometer distance.”

The vessel left Kawrakandi terminal with some passengers and went to Kathalbari to take more, he said.

Though the master was supposed to steer the vessel towards north-west direction along the left side of the river, he picked the turbulent mid stream ignoring weather alerts, he added.

One may recall that a Sukani, an assistant to the master, was in charge of the vessel's wheel and a greaser, an assistant to the engine driver, was in charge of the engine room of Pinak-6. According to the rules, the launch required a certified third class master and an engine driver for navigation.

There are allegations that the probe was carried out in such a way that would spare the liability of the shipping department official, who issued illegal temporary permits time and again to the vessel to ply in violation of the shipping laws, said sources.

When this correspondent brought this to the attention of probe body head Nur-ur-Rahman, all he said was, “I will not make any comment.”

The committee also held the faulty design of the vessel and gross anomalies in procuring necessary documents as responsible for the tragedy, said another member.

Nearly ten people, including an official of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA), the vessel's current owner Bakkar Siddique and his son Omar Faruque Limon, former owner Moniruzzaman Khokon (he is still the owner in the records),  Sukani Golam Nabi, greaser Sabdar Hossain, vessel's designer and three terminal lessees have been held responsible for the capsize, he said.

The fitness certificate of Pinak-6 expired on 30th April. Mirza Saifur Rahman, surveyor of the Department of Shipping (DOS), then issued temporary fitness certificates to the vessel three times.

DOS Director General Commodore M Zakiur Rahman Bhuiyan told The Daily Star that Saifur had been withdrawn as gross anomalies occurred in the process of issuing the temporary permits.

However, Captain Jasim Uddin, chief engineer and surveyor of the DOS and who was the member secretary of the probe committee, said, “Allowing water vessels to ply on temporary permits is in practice, though not lawful … but it is not an important issue.”

But another member of the committee said that the marine court summoned Saifur on August 27 regarding the alleged anomalies and issued an order against issuing such permits in future.

Fifty-eight bodies were recovered after the Pinak-6 capsize while 62 people are still missing and feared dead.