Survivors of MV Miraj 4 have alleged that the launch capsized in the Meghna River because of the negligence and irresponsibility on part of its captains and master.
“Right after gusty winds began to blow, many passengers repeatedly requested the captains to sail to a safe place but they paid no heed. They said it was nothing and also advised us to be patient,” said Rahima Begum, 50, who was on board with her son Monowar Hossain and husband Abdul Jalil.
A tearful Rahima, who was being treated at Gajaria Health Complex, told the Dhaka Tribune that she and her son had been able to swim ashore following the accident but her husband could not make it. Jalil’s body was rescued around 11:30am yesterday.
“We were returning to village after visiting my elder son Akter Mahmud Khan in Dhaka. He is a businessman by profession and bode us farewell at Sadarghat around 1pm,” she recalled.
Before getting on board, Jalil asked her to stay in Dhaka for one more day but she refused. All those are now just memories for the 50-year-old woman.
Another survivor Mohammad Ali was seen wailing sitting on the bank of Meghna.
“Do you know when the vessel will be lifted up? Is it possible for anyone to stay alive inside it even after a day?” he seemed to be questioning himself.
Garment worker Ali was destined for Shariatpur with his wife Shirin and only son Al Amin. Describing the accident, he said the launch tilted to the left minutes after heavy winds began blowing.
“I grabbed my wife’s hands but we were on the left side. When the vessel began sinking, I immediately started swimming to come out of it. Suddenly, my wife let go of my hand and I saw her going down under water with our son. Everything seemed to be happening so fast that I could not understand what to do,” he went on.
When the winds began to blow, many passengers, sensing danger, yelled at the captain and the master to take the launch to a safe place sensing imminent danger but they did not listen, said Ali, adding: “I would not have lost my wife and son if they paid any heed to the passengers’ concern and changed course.”
