Zihad Rana, Barishal Bureau
The death toll has risen to 42 in a fire that broke out on the Borguna-bound MV Abhijan-10 launch from Dhaka on the Sugandha river in Jhalokathi in the early hours of Friday.
On the other hand, the district administration has given shelter to the mourners who came to the shores of Sugandha river in Jhalokathi in search of the missing. Jhalokathi Government Technical School and College has given shelter to the bereaved relatives.
A probe body, formed by the Ministry of Shipping to investigate the fire that broke out on the MV Abhijan-10 launch in the Sugandha river in Jhalokathi, has found some problems in the engine.
The seven-member investigation team visited the scene yesterday and primarily found engine problem, Md Tofayel Islam, joint convener of the investigation team. The seven-member investigation team was accompanied by former Shipping Minister Shahjahan Khan.
Meanwhile the seven members of the medical team have reached Barisal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College (SBMC) Hospital to treat the burn victims of the MV Abhijan-10 launch fire in.
Director of Barisal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College (SBMC) Hospital Dr. HM Saiful Islam confirmed the matter on Saturday morning. He said the 7 doctors arrived in Barisal at night and started providing services to the patients at the hospital.
Earlier Barisal district branch of Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal (BSD) staged a protest in Barisal demanding immediate provision of adequate fire and safety measures in all public transport and immediate introduction of burn unit in SBMC. The party held human chain in front of Ashwini Kumar Town Hall in the city on Saturday.
BSD Barishal District President Imran Habib Rumon presided over the occasion while among others, the BSD Member Secretary Dr. Manisha Chakraborty, Nazrul Islam Khan, Johra Rekha of Socialist Women’s Forum, Shahidul Islam of Socialist Workers Front, Sagar Das Akash, District President of Socialist Student Front, Bijan Sikder, Lamia Simon were also present at the occasion.
They said people across the country were stunned by the deaths of nearly 50 people, many missing and hundreds of people being burnt. Accident damage could have been greatly reduced if these public transports had adequate firefighting systems and adequate safety equipment and personnel training.
Although most of the injured were admitted to Barisal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital, the burn patients are being deprived of adequate medical care due to lack of burn unit and specialist doctors in a departmental medical college hospital.
Meanwhile State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury said that there were serious irregularities in the launch while visiting the critically burnt patients at Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery.
The state minister said, “The maritime sector is improving day by day as measures are being taken as per the recommendations in the light of the investigation report.” In addition to taking action as per the investigation report, we have consistently implemented all the investigation recommendations. I am not saying that, the condition of Sadarghat is not the same as before.’
Placing the kitchen next to the launch engine room, this is a serious irregularity. In this regard, the state minister said, “We have been saying for a long time that the design of the launch is not healthy. It is very difficult to provide passenger service with this condition. State Minister Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury said that the electricity cables of the launch are risky, adding that there is a risk in the use of electricity in the launch. Weak, affordable ‘cable’ is being used. Those who do survey, they have to see these places properly, he added.
It is to be noted that the three-storied MV Abhijan-10 carrying 700 to 800 passengers caught fire on Sugandha River at Gabkhan-Dhansiri area under Sadar upazila in Jhalakati on early Friday. The launch, which was travelling to Barguna from the capital Dhaka, was in the mid-river when it caught fire.
