The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

The death toll, with the recovery of six more bodies from the salvaged MV Shourav-1, rose to 39 yesterday when rescuers called off the operation leaving about 50 people still missing.

Of the total 39 bodies recovered nine are children and 18 women. Of the ill-fated passengers 33 could be identified and handed over to their relatives but most of the victim's relatives faced problems in carrying the dead due to lack of transportation.

Police yesterday noon handed over to Anjuman-e-Mofidul Islam six unidentified bodies including that of Aklima for burial.

MV Shourav-1, a Munshiganj-bound vessel carrying about 200 passengers more than double the capacity, capsized after a sand-laden cargo trawler rammed it from behind in the River Buriganga near Bangladesh-China Friendship Bridge at Postagola in the city Thursday afternoon.

Six bodies of ill-fated passengers travelling in the lower deck of the launch at the time of the accident were found inside the hull of the wooden launch MV Shourav-1 after it was pulled out of 20 feet of water by salvage ship Rustam after more than seven hours of frantic efforts, police source said.

At end of the salvage operation at around 5:30am, one of the fire servicemen said that there were no more bodies on the riverbed.

Thousands of onlookers thronged the Keraniganj side of the riverbank throughout the night to see the tragedy play out in front of them.

Victim's relatives alleged that divers from the salvage ship Rustam during the late night retrieval operation instead of pulling out the bodies cut their bellies so that they do not surface.

However, the authorities denied the claim.

The inquiry committee, formed by the government to probe the launch accident, will record statements of concerned people at Sadarghat BIWTA Terminal at 11.00am on Sunday, said a member of Shipping Ministry.

All concerned, including the survivors, deceased's family members and witnesses have been requested to appear at the venue on time. The master, sareng, owner and workers of the launch MV Shourav-1 and the owner of sand-laden cargo MV Al-Amin have also been asked to be present at the BIWTA terminal.

Meanwhile, the five-member investigation committee headed by Joint Secretary of the Shipping Ministry Abdul Matin, visited the accident spot and Sadarghat Terminal yesterday and talked to the people concerned.

The committee would submit its report within seven days.

A knowledgeable source said, about 20,000 cargo and passenger vessels operating in the country's river routes lacked basic safety measures.