Five people, including three of a family, were killed in a launch accident at Sadarghat Launch Terminal in the capital Thursday afternoon.
The deceased are Md Belal, 30, his wife Mukta and their four-year-old girl Maisha of Mathbaria in Pirojpur, and Rabiul, 19, of Thakurgaon and Ripon Hawlader, 38, a resident of Patuakhali, according to Naval police superintendent for crime and operations Ashiq Saeed.
Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority joint director Alamgir Kabir said that the accident took place when MV Farhan-6 tried to enter between two anchored launches MV Tasrif-4 and MV Pubali-1 at about 3:00pm at pontoon 11.
The anchor rope of MV Tasrif tore and hit the five while they were boarding the launch, he said.
He also said that they rushed the five to Sir Salimullah Medical College and Mitford Hospital where doctors on duty declared them dead.
Naval Police Dhaka district superintendent of police Gautam Kumar Biswas said that they detained five people, including the driver of MV Farhan-6 that hit MV Tasfir.
‘Filing of a case is underway,’ he added.
Hours after the incident, the BIWTA cancelled route permits of MV Farhan-6 and MV Tasrif-4 launches and formed a three-member probe committee. The committee was asked to submit report in five working days, said a shipping ministry release.
BIWTA purchase and store department director Md Rofiqul Islam has been made the convener of the probe committee while the two other members are conservancy and pilotage department joint director S M Azgar Ali and its ports and traffic department joint director Md Kabir Hossain.
State minister for shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury expressed deep sorrows for the incident.
‘The perpetrators will be brought to book and justice will be ensured,’ said the minister.
