Coco-4 sinks for faulty design, overloading: report

Dhaka, Dec 17 (bdnews24.com) – The official investigation into the sinking of the MV Coco-4 has blamed faulty design and overloading of passengers for the Bhola ferry tragedy, the shipping minister said on Thursday.

Meanwhile, a separate probe into a ferry capsize at Kishoreganj, just days after the Bhola accident, accused authorities of not taking cautionary measures following poor visibility due to fog.

The two probe reports made a total of 31 recommendations and specified nine reasons behind the two accidents, shipping minister Shajahan Khan told newsmen at a press briefing.

The Coco-4, crowded from hull to decks with people, partially capsized on Nov 27 on the river Tentulia at Nazirpur in Lalmohan, some 40 km from Bhola district town killing at least 85 passengers.

The MV Al Helal-1 sank on Dec 4 near Charigram in Mithamoin upazila of Kishoreganj. A least 50 passengers were drowned.

On the reason behind the Bhola accident, the official report said the vessel was built violating construction rules. Though the launch was three-storey its total height was 44 metres.

According to law, no launch below 50 metre height is allowed to have three stories.

Besides, loading in excess of capacity and picking passengers from other vessels in the middle of the journey are also blamed for the tragedy.

The government formed an investigation committee immediately after the Bhola accident, which submitted its report on Dec 10.

The report identified seven reasons and 19 recommendations in its report.

The recommendations include taking departmental actions against concerned staff, speedier dispatch of salvage vessels to accident scenes and compliance with construction rules.

The committee on the Kishoreganj accident identified two reasons and made 12 recommendations in its report.

The recommendations include taking legal action against the authorities for operating the ferry with an unskilled driver, setting up BIWTC offices in haor areas, sending fitness certificates and lists of the ferries to the UNO Office every six months and raising manpower of the Inspectorate of Inland Shipping office under the Marine Science Directorate.

The government will implement the recommendations of both reports within 15 working days, the shipping minister said.

The committees will also talk to the owners and workers' representatives before that, he said.

Shipping secretary Abdul Mannan Hawlader said each family was immediately given Tk 3,000 for burial purposes.

Each family of the Bhola tragedy will be given Tk 30,000 and families which lost more than one member will get Tk 45,000 each.

Shajahan Khan has said he will give a donation of Tk 3.0 lakh to the families from his personal fund.

The Marine Transport Directorate filed a case accusing the vessel owners of the Coco-4. Another case was filed by a surviving passenger.

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