Members of Coast Guard (CG) and Bangladesh Navy rescued 31 people from a lighter vessel that caught fire at Kutubdia Point in the Bay of Bengal early Sunday, said authorities. Lieutenant Shakib Mehbub, an official of the east zone of the CG in Kutubdia, confirmed the matter saying that crews and other staffs of the vessel jumped off the vessel in the sea after it caught fire around 1am. Later, the floating crew and others were rescued, he said. Read: Kalurghat Bridge struck by lighter vessel carried by strong current in Karnaphuli Earlier, the anchored vessel carrying Liquefied National Gas (LNG) caught fire following an explosion at Kutubdia Point. Mohammad Shahadat Hossain, acting Kutubdia upazila nirbahi officer, said that they informed the higher authorities, Bangladesh Navy and Coast Guard. Read more: Lighter vessel carrying goods sinks in Ctg’s Karnaphuli River Locals said the ‘B-LPG Sofia’ vessel caught fire with a big bang when it was at the outer anchorage of the Chittagong Port around 1am.

Lighter vessel workers in Chattogram launched an indefinite strike from 6 am Friday refraining from transferring goods from moored ships to press home their five-point demands. Transportation of goods from Chittagong port to other parts of the country remained suspended too due to the strike. On Thursday the lighter vessel workers announced the work stoppage during a rally under the banner of ‘vessel workers of all levels,’ at the city's Banglabazar area. Removal of Chattogram Port chairman, removal of Officer-in-Charge of Patenga police station, cancelling lease of Charpara terminal used for movement of lighter vessel workers, creating a safe harbour for lighter vessels by excavating the Sangu River estuary, are among their five-point demands. Read more: With transport strike in mind, BNP activists reach Faridpur days before rally On November 3, men of some leaseholders of Charpara terminal had beaten up some nine workers and the police didn’t take any action against it, said Jashim Uddin, acting general secretary of Lighter Vessel Workers Union. Protesting the incident, workers moved all the lighter vessels to Parkir Char and started using the Chinese Ghat to get on and off the vessels but the authorities evicted that terminal too, he said. Until the demands are fulfilled freight operation from Chattogram through rivers will remain suspended, he said. Read more: Goods transport owners-workers go on 48-hour strike in Sylhet

Twelve crew of a lighter vessel who went missing after a lighter vessel sank in the Bay of Bengal near Bhashanchar of Noakhali district were rescued alive on Saturday. “On information, a rescue ship of Bangladesh Navy was sent immediately to the spot but some private ships nearby had rescued the crew before it reached,” said Abdul Momin, media officer of the Navy told UNB. Also read: Lighter vessel sinks in Bay: 12 crew go missing ‘Sajal-Tanmoy-2’  a lighter vessel carrying coal sank in the Bay of Bengal, 12 nautical miles off the southern area of Bhashanchar around 9:30 am. Also read: Lighter vessel sinks near Ctg port: Another body recovered

Twelve crew members went missing as a lighter vessel sank in the Bay of Bengal near Bhashanchar of Noakhali district on Saturday. Captain Kazi Shah Alam, Zonal Commander of Coast Guard East Zone, said the lighter vessel named ‘Sajal-Tanmoy-2’ sank in the Bay of Bengal, 12 nautical miles off the southern area of Bhashanchar around 9:30 am. READ: Lighter vessel sinks near Ctg port: Another body recovered Twelve crew members of the vessel remained missing after the accident. On information, a team of Coast Guard left for the spot but they failed to reach there due to rough sea.

The body of another worker, who went missing after a lighter vessel sank in the outer anchorage area of Chattogram port, was recovered on Tuesday, raising the death toll from the incident to two. The deceased was identified as Nurul Absar Lavlu, 37, a resident of Dakshin Bhuiyan village in Mirsarai upazila. Read: Lighter vessel sinks in Bay off Ctg port, 8 missing Mohammad Ekram Ullah, in-charge of Kumira Naval Police, said local people spotted the floating body of Lavlu near the coastal area of Bhatiari of Sitakunda upazila of Chattogram district at noon and informed police. On information, naval police recovered the body with the help of a local people. Two workers are still missing, sources said. Earlier on Saturday, eight crew members went missing after the lighter vessel carrying cement and clinker sank in the outer anchorage area of Chattogram port. Read: Another lighter vessel sinks near Mongla port According to Chattogram port sources, the lighter vessel -- Titu-14 -- sank in the Bay of Bengal following a collision with a dredger in the outer anchorage area of the port. The Coast Guard members managed to rescue nine of the 13 crew members of the vessel while four remained missing.

The body of a worker of a lighter vessel, who went missing after it sank in the outer anchorage area of Chattogram port, was recovered near the coastal area of Bhatiari of Sitakunda upazila of Chattogram district on Monday. The deceased was identified as Hanif Sheikh, son of Hannan Sheikh of Alfadanga upazila in Faridpur district. Members of coast guard and river police fished out the body of Hanif from the area at noon. Three workers still remain missing, said Captain of the lighter vessel Titu-14, Shaheed Sheikh. READ: Teenage girl found dead in Chattogram  Earlier on Saturday, eight crew members went missing after a lighter vessel carrying cement and clinker sank in the outer anchorage area of Chattogram port. According to Chattogram port sources, the lighter vessel -- Titu-14 -- sank in the Bay of Bengal following a collision with a dredger in the outer anchorage area of the port. The Coast Guard managed to rescue nine of the 13 crew members of the vessel while four remained missing.

A stone-laden lighter vessel near Mongla port on Saturday. Cracks developed at the bottom of MV Beauty Lohagara-2 in the early hours of Saturday after it hit a hidden shoal and then it started to sink, said Mongla port harbor master commander Sheikh Fakhar Uddin. Also read: Abul Khayer Group’s lighter ship sinks off Patenga coast The Coast Guard members immediately rescued 10 crew from the vessel. The port authority said the vessel was heading towards Khulna after loading 100 mts stones from another vessel. On Friday noon, another cargo vessel carrying fertilizers named MV Desh Bondhu sank in the Pashur River near Mongla Port. Ten crew of the cargo vessel managed to swim ashore. Also read: Cargo ship with Padma Bridge construction materials sinks in Hatiya The ship was heading towards Jashore after loading 850 MT Diammonium phosphate (DAP) fertilizer from a foreign ship anchored at Pashur channel.

Thirteen crew members have remained missing since a lighter vessel sank in the Bay of Bengal on Saturday.