A case has been filed with Barisal’s Kotwali police station against five individuals over Thursday’s collision between a speedboat and an anchored sand-laden barge on the Kirtankhola River that left one dead and three missing.
The accused include speedboat driver Al-Amin and barge driver Khalek Majhi.
The identities of three passengers who went missing are speedboat driver Al-Amin, Rasel Amin, 25, and Sajal Das, 30.
Barisal Sadar Naval police station Sub-Inspector Omar Faruk confirmed that no trace of the missing persons had been found as of Friday night.
However, the sunken speedboat was recovered by fire service divers.
Deputy Director of Barisal Fire Service Mizanur Rahman said that their rescue operations, conducted from morning to evening, yielded no survivors or bodies.
A passenger, Jalish Mahmud, 50, was rescued from the river but was declared dead upon arrival at Barisal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital.
Prolonged concerns
Passengers have raised concerns about safety and operational standards on the route.
Complaints include unskilled and reckless drivers, the use of substandard life jackets, and fare collection during the journey, which distracts drivers.
Witnesses claimed the young speedboat driver was collecting fares when the bulkhead appeared in the boat's path, making it impossible to avoid the collision.
Passengers on this route report frequent harassment, reckless driving, and lack of enforcement of safety regulations by authorities, leaving them vulnerable to repeated incidents.
