A pregnant woman and her six-year-old child were killed and six others injured in a launch accident on the Meghna River, near Majhir Char, under Hizla upazila of Barisal.
The accident occurred around 1:20am on Monday, when the Hularhat-bound MV Farhan-9 hit the Dhaka-bound MV Kirtonkhola-10 from behind, due to the density of fog, Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) sources say.
Ajmal Huda Mithu, deputy director of BIWTA and Barisal river port officer, said a four-member probe committee has been formed and they have been asked to submit their report within the next seven working days.
"After receiving the ongoing BIWTA probe committee directives, we arrested the launch Captain (Master), Aftab Ali, and Driver Abdul Hamid, of the MV Farhan-9 from Hularhat river port," said Pirojpur police OC Nurul Islam Badol.
The deceased are Mahmuda Khatun, 25, and his son Mominul Islam, 6; both were boarding at Kirtonkhola-10 from Bakerganj upazila.
Chandpur river police OC Abu Taher said the bodies of the deceased and the injured passengers were sent to Dhaka for better treatment.
Sadarghat river police station Sub Inspector (SI) Anisul Alam said: "The launches are on their way to Sadarghat. As soon as they reach there, we will start our investigation and the rescue operation."
