Permanent ban on plying of cargo vessels on Shela River in Sundarbans

Plying of all kinds of cargo vessels on the Sundarbans’ Shela River have been banned permanently.

The shipping ministry’s announcement on Wednesday follows the sinking of a coal-laden vessel in the river on Mar 19.

In December 2014, an oil tanker sank in the same river spilling 357,664 litres of furnace oil it was loaded with.

“There are obvious environmental damage after the capsize of an oil tanker and the recent one of a coal-laden vessel,” Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan told reporters on Wednesday." We are all concerned about the ecology of Sundarbans."

Meanwhile, the Forest Department's body probing the sinking of the coal-laden vessel has submitted its report.

The report is now with Conservator of Sundarbans East Zone Saidul Islam, said Assistant Conservator Kamal Uddin Ahmed.

He said the probe body recommended permanently shutting the Shela River route, salvaging the two sunken vessels on the river as soon as possible and marking the spots where vessels have capsized earlier.