Barisal launch capsize: Death toll rises to 24, still 8 missing

The death toll from the launch capsize in the River Shandhya in Barisal rose to 24 as a woman died at a local hospital early Thursday and bodies of 10 people including four children were recovered on Thursday.
The district administration declared the search operation closed at about 11:00am, with eight people still missing.
The families reported to police about missing of eight people, said Baranipara police officer-in-charge Ziaul Ahsan.
Barisal fire service assistant director Faruk Hossain Shikder confirmed the figure of deaths.
He said that Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority salvage vessel
Nirbhik reached the spot at Banaripara at about 4:00am and pulled the sunken vessel at about 9:00am.
Four bodies of children were recovered from the vessel while one Rahima Begum, 40, died at Banaripara Upazila Health Complex early Thursday, Faruk said. Later in the evening, six more bodies were recovered, he said.
On Wednesday, 13 bodies were recovered after the launch, ML Oishee, with about 60 to 70 people on board, capsized at Dasherhaat in the river around noon on its way to Uzirpur from Banaripara.
The district administration on Wednesday formed a nine-member probe body, headed by additional district magistrate Zakir Hossain. The committee was asked to submit report in seven working days.
Zakir said that the launch owner took route permit of other launch, ML Iqra, but was running the sunken launch illegally.
He said that the police were looking for vessel owner Yusuf of Habibpur of Banaripara.
Barisal port officer Mustafizur Rahman, also Bangladesh Inland and Water Transport Authority river security and traffic department deputy director, said that ML Oishee was not a launch at all, rather it was a trawler that had no route permit and fitness certificate to carry passengers.
Divers from navy and fire service, river police and others resumed the rescue operation at about 7:30am.
Relatives of the missing people waited on the bank of the river overnight and their wailing created a gloomy atmosphere in the area.
They, however, alleged that the authorities were at negligence in the salvage operation.

News courtesy: www.newagebd.net