A writ was filed with the High Court seeking its directives to the government to explain as to why  the ineffectiveness of the authorities concerned to ensure measures to prevent the fire on MV Avijan-10 would not be declared illegal.

A Supreme Court lawyer Soumitra Sardar filed the writ petition on Monday, said Advocate Anisur Rahman.

The writ also sought a rule asking the government to explain as to why the authorities concerned should not be asked to submit statements about the condition of engines in water vessels and legal license permits.

Also read: Launch fire: Writ seeks HC directive on compensation for victims

Secretaries to the Home Ministry, Shipping Ministry, Directorate General of Fire Service and Civil Defence, Chairman of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) and the owner of the launch Hamjalal Sheikh have been made respondents to the rule.

The writ also sought compensation of Tk. 50 lakh for the families of the dead and Tk. 25 lakh for the injured in last week’s launch fire.

The blaze broke out at 3am on Friday on the Barguna-bound launch carrying some 800 passengers from Dhaka and it engulfed the entire vessel within 10 minutes.

The death toll from the fire incident climbed to 42 on Monday. Besides, over 81 people suffered injuries and many of them are undergoing treatment at different hospitals.

Among the injured, 46 people are undergoing treatment at Sher-e-Bangla Medical College and Hospital (SBMCH), 22 people were sent to Dhaka and 16 people have returned home after recovery.

However, the exact number of passengers travelling by the launch and the missing passengers is yet to be known.

Also read: Fire likely from engine room caused launch tragedy: Probe committee

 Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) have arrested Hamjalal Sheikh, one of the owners of launch MV ‘Avijan-10’, in connection with the deadly fire incident in the launch.

ANM Imran Khan, Assistant Director (ASP) of Legal and Media Wing of Rab, said Hamjalal was held from Keraniganj early Monday.