A cargo vessel loaded with fly ash (a raw material used in cement production) has sunk in the shoal of the Poshur River near Mongla Port.
The incident occurred at around 6am on Friday at the confluence of the Mongla and Poshur rivers.
Md Shawkat Sheikh, the driver of the sunken vessel MV Mizan-01, stated that their vessel was anchored in the Poshur Channel. Around 6am on Friday, a lighter cargo ship named MV Alam Gulshan-02 collided with the anchored MV Mizan-01 and ended up mounting it.
Due to the impact from the lighter vessel, the cargo ship sank. The sunken vessel was carrying 914 metric tons of fly ash.
The MV Mizan-01 had loaded the fly ash from the Bendel area of Kolkata, India, and was en route to the Bashundhara dock in Narayanganj, Dhaka. The accident occurred during a stopover at Mongla Port.
Shawkat further mentioned that the impact from the lighter vessel caused the side and bottom of their cargo ship to rupture, resulting in it sinking into the river. All ten staff members on board managed to swim ashore and are currently safe.
Md Makruzzaman, deputy director (Board and Public Relations Division) of Mongla Port Authority, confirmed that the cargo vessel MV Mizan-01 sank after being struck by another lighter vessel, MV Alam Gulshan-02, in the shoal of the Poshur River.
However, he assured that the port channel remains secure and all types of water vessels are continuing to operate normally through it.
