Bangladesh: At least 26 people were killed when a small passenger vessel carrying more than 100 people crashed into a cargo vessel carrying over 100 people in Bangladesh’s Shitlakhya River. The incident took place in Narayanganj district on Sunday evening, which is located about 16 km southeast of the capital Dhaka. The Dhaka Tribune reported that five bodies were recovered on Sunday and a total of 21 bodies were recovered by the Navy, Coast Guard, fire service, and police on Monday.
According to the news, the passenger ship ‘ML Sabit Al Hasan’ sank near the Saidpur Coal Ghat in Munshiganj near Shidlakhya river after a collision with the cargo ship ‘SKL-3’. Police and eyewitnesses said that the cargo ship fled from thereafter the collision. Narayanganj Deputy Commissioner Mustain Bila said that a seven-member committee has been formed under the chairmanship of the Additional District Magistrate to investigate the incident.
He said that the district administration will give 25-25 thousand taka as compensation to the families of the deceased for the cremation of the dead bodies. Bangladesh’s Inland Water Transport Authority has also formed a four-member committee to investigate the incident. Coastal police in charge Deepak Chandra Saha confirmed that 50-60 people swam to the banks of the river, out of which three have been admitted to the hospital. Abdullah Al Arefin, Deputy Director of Fire Services and Civil Defense in Narayanganj district, said that due to the storm, he was delayed in starting relief and rescue operations. Rescue work is still going on.
