Collisions accounted for nearly 62% of all waterway accidents between 2008 and 2019
File photo: Rescue team pulling out the capsized launch which sank after colliding with a cargo vessel in the Shitalakkhya River on Sunday, April, 4, 2021 Dhaka Tribune
Ashif Islam Shaon
Publish : 06 Jan 2022, 12:15 AMUpdate : 06 Jan 2022, 10:48 AM
Reckless navigation and an uncontrolled increase in the number of vessels on waterways in Bangladesh have led to collisions and have been the leading cause of water accidents in the country since 2005.
According to research published in the Journal of International Maritime Safety, Environmental Affairs, and Shipping in 2021, collisions accounted for 61.72% of all waterway accidents from 2008 to 2019. These accidents accounted for 53% of fatalities and 46.5% of casualties on waterways.
Prior to 2005, collisions were the third leading cause of waterway accidents in the country, after stormy weather, and overloading and stability failures of vessels.
“Around half of the accidents, mostly collisions, are caused by cargo ships and trawlers,” said Dr Zobair Ibn Awal, associate professor at the department of naval architecture and marine engineering of Buet and one of the researchers who worked on the report.
He said the probable reasons for the collisions include a lack of awareness or training among shipmasters and crews, insufficient communication and navigation equipment, and inadequate lighting arrangements. Furthermore, bigger vessels often operate recklessly on busy rivers like the Buriganga.
The latest waterway collision took place near Dharmaganj ghat on the Dhaleshwari River in Narayanganj yesterday, when a trawler carrying around 60-70 passengers capsized after being struck by the Dhaka-bound launch MV Farhan 6. Ten people, including four of a family and several children, have been missing since the incident.
The master of the launch has been arrested, and search operations were still ongoing yesterday evening.
On June 29, 2020, 34 people were killed when a small launch, named ML Morning Bird, sank in the Buriganga after the much larger Mayur-2 collided with it while travelling in reverse near Farashganj Ghat in Dhaka.
Who are responsible for the collisions?
Dr Md Hadiuzzaman, director of the Accident Research Institute (ARI) of Buet, said an uncontrolled increase in the number of water vessels, particularly unregistered ones, is the prime cause of waterway collisions.
“Now, the country has roughly 30,000 water vessels plying rivers throughout the country. Only 10,000 among them are registered, and unregistered vessels rarely meet safety standards,” he said.
“We see owners build a boat, add small engines, and then start carrying passengers. These boats are used to ferry passengers from one bank of the river to another, over short distances, or to carry goods.”
These makeshift vessels often do not have trained masters, drivers, proper fitness, or structural integrity.
“Registered vessels also sometimes ply the waterways recklessly, as the overseeing government authorities do not have enough manpower to keep an eye on them,” he added.
The accident study expert pointed out that a lack of surveys for navigation routes was also one of the major causes of head-on collisions.
“We do not know how many vessels travel at a time on busy rivers. As an example, the Buriganga. You will find thousands of vessels—from manual boats to large passenger ships— and it almost looks like a busy road in Dhaka,” he said.
Accidents on WaterwaysPowered by Froala Editor
From calamities to collisions
Reckless navigation and an uncontrolled increase in the number of vessels on waterways in Bangladesh have led to collisions and have been the leading cause of water accidents in the country since 2005.
According to research published in the Journal of International Maritime Safety, Environmental Affairs, and Shipping in 2021, collisions accounted for 61.72% of all waterway accidents from 2008 to 2019. These accidents accounted for 53% of fatalities and 46.5% of casualties on waterways.
Prior to 2005, collisions were the third leading cause of waterway accidents in the country, after stormy weather, and overloading and stability failures of vessels.
“Around half of the accidents, mostly collisions, are caused by cargo ships and trawlers,” said Dr Zobair Ibn Awal, associate professor at the department of naval architecture and marine engineering of Buet and one of the researchers who worked on the report.
He said the probable reasons for the collisions include a lack of awareness or training among shipmasters and crews, insufficient communication and navigation equipment, and inadequate lighting arrangements. Furthermore, bigger vessels often operate recklessly on busy rivers like the Buriganga.
The latest waterway collision took place near Dharmaganj ghat on the Dhaleshwari River in Narayanganj yesterday, when a trawler carrying around 60-70 passengers capsized after being struck by the Dhaka-bound launch MV Farhan 6. Ten people, including four of a family and several children, have been missing since the incident.
The master of the launch has been arrested, and search operations were still ongoing yesterday evening.
On June 29, 2020, 34 people were killed when a small launch, named ML Morning Bird, sank in the Buriganga after the much larger Mayur-2 collided with it while travelling in reverse near Farashganj Ghat in Dhaka.
Who are responsible for the collisions?
Dr Md Hadiuzzaman, director of the Accident Research Institute (ARI) of Buet, said an uncontrolled increase in the number of water vessels, particularly unregistered ones, is the prime cause of waterway collisions.
“Now, the country has roughly 30,000 water vessels plying rivers throughout the country. Only 10,000 among them are registered, and unregistered vessels rarely meet safety standards,” he said.
“We see owners build a boat, add small engines, and then start carrying passengers. These boats are used to ferry passengers from one bank of the river to another, over short distances, or to carry goods.”
These makeshift vessels often do not have trained masters, drivers, proper fitness, or structural integrity.
“Registered vessels also sometimes ply the waterways recklessly, as the overseeing government authorities do not have enough manpower to keep an eye on them,” he added.
The accident study expert pointed out that a lack of surveys for navigation routes was also one of the major causes of head-on collisions.
“We do not know how many vessels travel at a time on busy rivers. As an example, the Buriganga. You will find thousands of vessels—from manual boats to large passenger ships— and it almost looks like a busy road in Dhaka,” he said.