The New Nation - Internet Edition

Alam Sarwar Titu from Kishoreganj

Death toll from Monday's launch capsize in Ghorautra River at Nikli upazila of Kishoreganj district rose to 44 with the recovery of 40 more bodies yesterday.

The bodies, including 21 men, 11 women and eight children, were recovered by the divers of Fire Service.

More than 100 passengers of the launch, MV Chandpur, are still missing.

Under the supervision of Deputy Commissioner of Kishoreganj district Sultan Ahmed, Commander of Joint Forces Lt Colonel Ashiquzzaman and Police Super of Kishoreganj district Mizanur Rahman, the local administration, fire service and BIWTA divers and local volunteers carried out rescue operation throughout the day yesterday.

Later in the afternoon they succeeded to retrive the launch from 70 feet deep of the river and bring it back to the river bank.

During the rescue operation, a heart-rending scene occurred on the bank of Ghorautra River. Relatives of drowned and missing passengers burst into tears witnessing the row of dead bodies on the river bank. They were found wailing throughout the day calling the names of their near and dear ones who drowned in the river. Zakir Hossain, community organiser of NGO Popy, who survived the launch capsize, told journalists that MV Chandpur motor-launch, with more than 150 passengers and goods on board, left Kuliarchar for Mitamoin Bazar through the Ghorautra River on Sunday afternoon. But, the launch was caught in a violent storm when it reached the extremely inaccessible Ghoradigha Haor. At that time, all the doors and windows of the motor launch were shut down by the launch workers and employees. As a result, most of the passengers got trapped inside the launch when it capsized in the depth of the river. Some 50/60 passengers succeeded to reach the riverbank swimming across the river.

Mushfiqur Rahman, an eyewitness of the incident of village Tenguria under Nikli upazila, said he was just standing on the bank of the river when the storm turned the motor launch turtle in the middle of the river. "Suddenly the launch started to capsize in the river," he said.

After the incident, he and some other local people rescued some passengers with the help of countrymade boats. They also recovered four bodies.

Local administration said the two-storeyed MV Chandpur, which was going to Mithamoin from Kuliarchar with some 150 passengers and huge quantity of goods, including cloths on board capsized in the Ghorautra River, a tributary of the River Meghna, sometime between 4:00-4:30pm after it was caught in a strong storm in the middle of the river. The launch being turned by the strong wind of the storm went down to some 70 feet deep into the river.

The government formed a one-member inquiry committee headed by Abdul Hye, Senior Assistant Secretary of the Ministry of Shipping to investigate the causes of the accident. The committee has been asked to submit the report within three days.

The passengers who survived the accident alleged that the launch was carrying excessive passengers beyond its carrying capacity.

A rescue team from the BIWTA Office in Narayanganj reached the spot along with a rescue ship and started the rescue operation.

The bodies of passengers were identified as Bajitpur's Shahana, 13, Apurba, 1, Ajit Debnath, 32, Quamrul, 30, Jikra Aktar, 13, Sanchita Rani Das, 30, Taheruddin, 55, Siddique Mia, 45, son of Manzur Ali, Noorjahan, 50, wife of Abdus Sattar of Mithamoin, Jubed Ali, son of Noab Ali of Narsingdi, Golap Mia, son of Abed Ali of Bhairab, Helal, 26, son of Yunus Mia of Mithamoin, Yasin, son of Helal, Jubeda Khatun, wife of Yunus Mia of Mithamoin, Raju Begum, 45, wife of Abu Bakar Siddique of Kuliarchar, Rita Aktar, 7, daughter of Belal Mia of Nikli, Sufia Khatun, 40, wife of Abdul Wadud of Mithamoin, Fatema, 22, wife of Shahed Ali of Bajitpur, Abdus Sattar, 50, son of Abdul Jabbar of Mithamoin, Parul, 30, wife of Shahabuddin of Mithamoin, Ratan Shaha, 45, son of Debendra Nath Saha of Bajitpur, Mohon Saha, 26, son of Tapan Saha of Bajitpur, Dulu Mia, 35, son of Kala Gazi of Bhairab, Rosy Aktar, 26, wife of Razzaq Mia of Fenchuganj, Sylhet, Shahed Mia, 35, son of Rajab Ali of Bhairab, Shanta, 1, son of Shahabuddin of Fatulla, Narayanganj, Taheruddin, 35, son of Jamiruddin of Bajitpur, Sanchita Das, 30, wife of Rajendra Das of Bajitpur, Rupali Das, 14, daughter of Narendra Das of Bajitpur, Nirmal Chandra Das, son of Amrita Lal Das of Bajitpur, Ganendra Chandra Saha, 51, son of Hemendra Chandra Saha of Bajitpur, Mizna Aktar, 52 of Bajitpur, Bibash Das, 30, Sabita, 55 and Akash Chandra Das, 3.