Investigation into Pinak ferry capsize incomplete even after one year

Police have failed to submit chargesheet in court a year after the capsize of Pinak-6 launch that claimed at least 49 lives in the Padma.

The authorities have not implemented any recommendation, either, of the expert committee that investigated the accident.
 
The double-decker passenger vessel with a capacity of around 100 passengers capsized on Aug 4 last year.
 
Over 300 passengers were on board when it sunk in the river on its way to Munshiganj’s Mawa from Kewrhakandi in Madaripur.
 
Sixty-one passengers are still missing, according to government statistics.
 
The vessel owner Abu Bakar Siddique is in jail. His son Omar Faruk Limon was arrested but is now out on bail.
 
Another five suspects in the case, filed on the next day of the mishap, are yet to be arrested.
 
Case investigation officer Lauhajang police SI Zafar Ali told bdnews24.com, “The chargesheet in the case has not been submitted. It is still under investigation.”
 
Defending the delay he said: “Many people from different areas died at the incident. So, there are many witnesses.”
 

“The relatives of the victims don’t want to come here to testify.”

He said police tried to bring witnesses for deposition but had little success.

The SI, however, could not say how many witnesses deposed so far.

The probe committee, formed after the incident, submitted a 62-page report to the government where it identified unskilled driving, fault in vessel design and many irregularities.

A member of the committee, on condition of anonymity, said he would be happy if the recommendations were implemented.