Ferry mishap toll rises to 14

Authorities have called off search after rescuers recovered 14 bodies following Friday’s ferry capsize in the river Meghna.

Twelve more bodies were retrieved on Saturday after MV SM Sarash with some 50 passengers went down on the Meghna at Gazaria in Munshiganj.

Two bodies were recovered on Friday. Five were still missing, said an official.

Divers found 10 bodies from inside the launch while two more from the hull after the sunken ferry was salvaged, said Munshiganj Fire Service Assistant Deputy Director Mohammad Yahia Ali Shikder.

Rescue vessel ‘Rustam’ towed the launch to the shore after salvaging it around 9.30am on Saturday, Munshiganj Deputy Commissioner (DC) Mohammad Saiful Hassan told bdnews24.com.

“(After that) Rescue operations have been called off,” he said.

Despite the suspension of the official search, police and local would continue looking for the missing, said the DC.

Badiuzzaman Badal, President of the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport and Passenger Service in Narayanganj, said MV SM Sarash sank near Ismani Char at around 8:00am Friday after a sand-laden cargo boat hit it.

Sarash was on its way to Chandpur from Narayanganj.

Eleven of the 12 dead have been identified.

They are – ‘Shahjalal’, 38, son of Siddiqur Rahman from Bayerkandi, ‘Suman’, 30, son of Abdul Matin from Brahmanchak, Mawlana Mojibor, 45, son of late Suleman Pradhan from Charkandi, Moni Akhter, 15, from Muktarkandi, Hazera Begum Baby, 48, wife of Saiful Islam from Baluchar. Ibrahim Khalil, 8, son of Dulal Hossain from Al-Amin Nagar, Helena Akhter, 18, daughter of Mobarak Bepari from Al-Amin Nagar, ‘Tania’, 17 and Chaina Begum, both daughters of late Razzak Mia, ‘Sanjid’, 4 and ‘Mim’, children of Mokter Hossain of Kochua.

On Friday, bodies of one woman Moyna Akhter, 26, and a 17-month-old child ‘Prince’ were recovered.

A committee headed by Shipping Ministry’s Deputy Secretary Habibur Rahman has been formed to investigate the accident.
It has been asked to submit its report within five days, said the DC.