Publish : 11 Nov 2021, 12:30 AMUpdate : 13 Nov 2021, 11:54 PM
The recovery of the Ro-Ro ferry Amanat Shah and the fear that it has spilled 30,000 litres of oil into the Padma River is a reminder of our incompetence on two fronts.
First things first, an incident like this never should have happened. Even one instance of an incident like this is going too far, and unfortunately, incidents like this are pretty much the norm in our country.
Two, there should be rules in place for the transportation of sensitive material like this. We see time and time again how much damage can be caused by spillages. And now that the Padma River is contaminated, we have a national crisis on our hands.
A brief inspection of the ferry showed that there were 30 holes on its bottom, something that might have led to its capsize. The very minimum for a ferry carrying products such as oil is that it has to be maintained properly. There are rules in place, but unfortunately, none of them are enforced.
We also need to focus on dealing with the damage, and making sure that an incident like this never happens again. Such incidents are more often than not catastrophic, and while we may have gotten away with no lives lost, there is no alternative to be better prepared from now on.
The authorities have to double down on the existing rules of maritime transport, draft new laws when it comes to the transport of sensitive materials, and make sure that these rules are enforced. Our ongoing incompetence has led to not only massive losses, but entire ecosystems being threatened. It is time we put an end to it.
ED: Yet another disaster on the waterfront
The recovery of the Ro-Ro ferry Amanat Shah and the fear that it has spilled 30,000 litres of oil into the Padma River is a reminder of our incompetence on two fronts.
First things first, an incident like this never should have happened. Even one instance of an incident like this is going too far, and unfortunately, incidents like this are pretty much the norm in our country.
Two, there should be rules in place for the transportation of sensitive material like this. We see time and time again how much damage can be caused by spillages. And now that the Padma River is contaminated, we have a national crisis on our hands.
A brief inspection of the ferry showed that there were 30 holes on its bottom, something that might have led to its capsize. The very minimum for a ferry carrying products such as oil is that it has to be maintained properly. There are rules in place, but unfortunately, none of them are enforced.
We also need to focus on dealing with the damage, and making sure that an incident like this never happens again. Such incidents are more often than not catastrophic, and while we may have gotten away with no lives lost, there is no alternative to be better prepared from now on.
The authorities have to double down on the existing rules of maritime transport, draft new laws when it comes to the transport of sensitive materials, and make sure that these rules are enforced. Our ongoing incompetence has led to not only massive losses, but entire ecosystems being threatened. It is time we put an end to it.
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