The New Nation - Internet Edition

Chittagong Correspondent

Bangladesh Shipping Corporation's (BSC) tanker MT Banglar Shourabh, which was abandoned after a fire incident couple of years ago, has been brought back to operation yesterday.

The badly damaged tanker went on a trial run after necessary repair and acquiring voyaging fitness from the dry dock. It took up the trial run at about 11:00 a.m. and return to the anchorage at about 4:00 p.m. after cruising Kutubdia channel.

Captain Amirul Islam backed by Pilot Nasir and 80 crew members took the tanker on trial run. Thirty officials from the BSC and 50 from the Karnaphuli Ship Builders Limited went onboard. The officials certified the tanker's fitness for regular voyage.

MT Banglar Shourav was dropped from the active fleet of the BSC on June 24, 2006. Later, the BSC bought it as scrap vessel from its insurer.

Bangladeshi marine engineer MA Rashid took the challenge of bringing the damaged tanker back to operation with major refurbishments. Engineer Rashid finally made it happen twisting the common belief of the local engineers, senior sailors and the regional shipbuilders.

Credits of building three tugboats - Kandari-1, Kandari-7, Kandari-8 - for Chittagong Port Authority (CPA), three deep-sea fishing boats and two sea-trucks also went in his favor.

While giving reaction on the success engineer MA Rashid said that he had to deposit Taka 55 million as bank guarantee to the BSC.

"It was a matter of great risk. I would have to suffer a huge loss if the case was unsuccessful," he said uttering words of gratification to the almighty.

He said that it took nearly 21 months for carrying out the refurbishments and six of the company's workers died while working on the vessel.

The repair reportedly added value to the vessel and its current prices would be not less than Taka 1600 million. Karnaphuli Ship Builders Limited will, however, get only Taka 2325 million as repair costs from the BSC.