A tanker carrying 357,000 litres of oil has capsized in Shela River at Sundarbans, spilling oil along 20 kilometres of the area in the river.
The incident took place early Tuesday after the oil carrying tanker was hit by another tanker, Divisional forest officer of the Sundarbans east zone Amir Hossain Chowdhury told the Dhaka Tribune.
Hossain said: “Oil tanker 'Southern Star Seven' anchored in the river due to dense fog. It capsized as another tanker hit it around 6am in Chadpai Dolphin Sanctuary in Mrigamari area, seven kilometres away from Joumonirgul area of Mongla in Bagerhat.
The lives of the animals living in the water and the forest might be affected because of the oil spill, he apprehended.
Regarding rescue operations Amir Hossain said the forest department has no rescue equipments. So we have contacted with the owner of the ship.
“Four to five days will be needed to rescue the ship,” he added quoting the ship owner.
Chandpai Range officer Belayet Hossain said six of the crew members had managed to swim to the shore but the ship's captain Mokhlesur Rahman is still missing.
He said the forest department would file a case regarding the incident.
The tanker was heading to Gopalganj after loading oil from Khulna.
