The death toll from the MV Miraj 4 launch capsize in the Meghna River rose to 28 as of last night. Rescue workers were facing difficulties pulling out bodies from the double-decker launch, which sank near Daulatpur in Gajaria upazila of Munshiganj on Thursday.
Acting superintendent of police of Munshiganj M Jakir Hossain Majumder told the Dhaka Tribune: “A total of 28 bodies have been recovered so far and families of the deceased have received Tk20,000 each as compensation.”
However, District Relief and Rehabilitation Officer M Abdur Rahman, who was providing information from the control room, said 27 dead bodies were recovered from the spot including nine females and seven children.
“All the bodies were identified and were handed over to the family members immediately,” he said.
The MV Miraj 4, which was heading towards Shariatpur from Dhaka, sank in the Meghna with over 200 people on board around 3:30pm on Thursday.
Divers from the Coast Guard and the Fire Service and Civil Defence are running the rescue operations with rescue vessel Prottoy, which started operating on Thursday evening.
The rescue workers said the launch had a capacity of 122 passengers but it was carrying a higher number of people.
They also said they failed to recover the launch as it had sunk deeper into the sand under the water because of overloading of people and goods.
Shipping Minister Shahjahan Khan, however, said: “I have yet to receive any such allegations. The inquiry committee will look into the matter.”
Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority Chairman Md Shamsuddoha Khondaker told the Dhaka Tribune that they were facing difficulties in salvaging the launch due to the presence of strong current and gusty winds.
“We had expected to complete the rescue operations by evening, but we could not do that as the launch had sunk sideways into the sand. Now it has been set in the right position and the rescuers are trying to unload it to pull it out of the water easily,” he told the Dhaka Tribune at 7:30pm.
Meanwhile, relatives of the missing passengers alleged that the rescue operation was going slow. They brought out a procession and chanted slogans against the administration, alleging intentional delay in the rescue operations.
Deputy Commissioner of Munshiganj Saiful Hasan Badal claimed that nearly 100 passengers had been able to swim ashore while locals claimed that the number was fewer.
According to the control room set up by the district administration, 70 people were rescued.
When contacted, Gajaria Upazila Health Complex Residential Medical Officer Mojibul Haque Molla said they had received one dead body, admitted seven victims while giving 14 first aid and referring the rest to the Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
Meanwhile, a three-member probe committee headed by Engineer and Ship Surveyor of the Mercantile and Marine Department Sirajul Islam, was formed following the accident.
The committee was asked to submit its report within seven working days.
The BIWTA had previously suspended the operation of the MV Miraj 4 as it had had two more accidents previously. BIWTA sources said the launch had been operating in violation of the suspension order in collusion with the port officials.
