At least 10 people including women and children were injured as a Dhaka-bound launch from Bhola, the Karnafuli-3, caught fire in the middle of the Meghna river in Majherchar area in Chandpur's Haimchar on Saturday (April 20, 2024). Md Shahadat Hossain, deputy director of Chandpur BIWTA, said the fire broke out around 11:30am due to a technical glitch. At the time, 10 people were injured in the launch fire incident as they panicked and jumped into the river, he added. The stranded passengers of Karnaphuli-3 were being taken to Dhaka through Karnaphuli-4 launch. Read more: Banani slum fire under control On information, our investigation team along with the fire service rushed to the spot and brought the fire under control, he added. However, the reason behind the fire could not be known immediately. The injured were treated locally. Meanwhile, senior police officers of Naval Police Chandpur region visited the spot soon after the incident, added the officer. Read more: TK Group’s super board manufacturing factory catches fire in Munshiganj

A four-member committee was on Sunday formed to find out the cause of a fire that earlier in the day broke out on a launch named ‘Adventure-9’ at Sadarghar launch terminal. The committee, headed by Deputy Director (Development) of Fire Service and Civil Defense headquarters Nur Hasan Ahmed, was asked to submit its report within 10 days, said Rozina Akhtar, duty Officer of Fire Service and Civil Defence headquarters control room. Also read: Sadarghat launch fire doused Adjutant of Fire Service and Civil Defence training complex Iqbal Bahar Bulbul will act as member secretary of the committee, while two other members are—Senior Station Officer of Sadarghat Fire Station Abu Sayam Masum and Warehouse Inspector Dulal Acharya. The committee will also determine the extent of damage caused by the fire that was extinguished by fire fighters in about three hours. No casualties were reported.

A fire that broke out in a launch at Sadarghat Launch Terminal in the capital on Sunday has been doused. The fire broke out at launch ‘Adventure-9’ at 10:52 am and spread soon, Md Shahjahan Shikdar, Deputy assistant director (media cell) of Fire Service and Civil Defence. On information, seven firefighting units rushed to the spot and extinguished the fire around 2 pm. Read: Death toll rises to 12 in N'ganj launch tragedy

A 16-member Citizens’ Investigation Committee has found the negligence of four government officials, four launch owners and four others in the Jhalakathi MV Abhijan-10 fire incident that claimed the lives of 50 people. Ashish Kumar Dey, the chief coordinator of the committee, came up with the information while speaking at a press briefing at Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) on Saturday. The committee was formed to find out the reasons behind the fire that caused so many casualties in the MV Abhijan-10 passenger launch, identify those responsible and make necessary recommendations for building a risk-free, people-friendly marine communication system. Read: Jhalakathi launch fire: Death toll climbs to 50 Those who were found responsible in the investigation are Joynal Abedin, joint director of Marine Safety and Traffic department of Bangladesh Inland and Water Transport Authority (BIWTA), Dinesh Das, its transport inspector, Mohammad Habibur Rahman, inspector of Department of Shipping, Ship Surveyor of the same department Mahbubur Rashid, four owners of the launch—Hamjalal Sheikh, Shamim Ahmed, Russel Ahmed and Ferdous Hasan Rabbi, first-class master Md Riaz Shikdar, second-class master Khalilur Rahman, first-class driver Masum Billah and second-class driver Abul Kalam. The committee also placed 25 recommendations like bringing those responsible for the incident to book. “Or else, the tendency of negligence in duty will increase alongside accidents,” said the committee. The committee also suggested realising the compensation money from those responsible for the accident, including owners, masters, drivers and government officials.

A 17-member eminent citizen inquiry committee has been formed to find out the real cause of the fire that caused so many casualties in the MV Abhijan-10 passenger launch, identify those responsible and make necessary recommendations for building a risk-free, people-friendly marine communication system.  Fifteen social organizations, including Paribesh Bachao Andalan (PABA), Nirapod Naupath Bastobayon Andolon (Safe Waterways Implementation Movement) and National Committee for Protection of Waterways, Roads and Railways, have jointly formed the committee involving concerned experts, representatives of different classes and professions. READ: Probe committee formed over Chairman Bari fire PABA's chairman Abu Naser Khan formally announced the formation of the committee at a press conference held at its office at Kalabagan in the city on Tuesday. The committee was asked to submit its report with recommendations within the next three weeks, he said.  PABA Chairman Abu Naser Khan has been made the convener of the Citizen Inquiry Committee. Aminur Rasul Babul has been made member secretary of the Committee, while  Ashish Kumar Dey, a journalist, writer and a shipping researcher, will act as chief coordinator of the committee. READ: Committee formed to prevent accidents at industries   Bangladesh University of Engineering (BUET) Prof Dr Mir Tareq Ali, former director general of Water resources planning Engineer Enamul Haque and former chief naval engineer at V Ships in Glasgow, UK. Abdul Hamid.

The Marine Court here on Sunday ordered to send the two drivers of the MV Abhijan-10 launch to jail in a case related to last month’s deadly fire that killed at least 42 passengers of the vessel. They are - the 8th accused in the case Abul Kalam ( in-charge driver) and the 7th accused Masum Billah (2nd driver). Earlier on December 28, the same court sent the two masters of the launch Riaz Sikder (master in charge) and the 6th accused Khalilur Rahman (2nd master) to jail when they surrendered before it. The court was set up on the 8th floor of BIWTA Bhaban in the city’s Motijheel after the launch fire on December 24. Read:Launch tragedy: Probe committee gets 3 more days to submit report Sources at the court said the two drivers of the launch surrendered before Special Metropolitan Magistrate Zainab Begum on Sunday morning and applied for bail. After hearing, the court ordered to send them to jail. Advocate Billal Hossain, prosecuting officer of the Department of Shipping, confirmed this to UNB. He said that the overall responsibility of the engine room rests with the engine drivers. Not only did they neglect their responsibilities, their role in the aftermath of the fire was presumptuous. The fire was initially reported to have started from the engine room, he said. If they had managed the engine room properly with perfect supervision, perhaps this horrible tragedy could have been averted, Adv Billal added. Adv Md Jahangir Hossain argued for the defendants seeking bail. On December 26, the chief inspector of the Department of Shipping Shafiqur Rahman filed a case against eight people, including four owners of the launch, under the Marine Act with the Marine Court. The court took cognizance of the case and issued arrest warrants against the accused. Read:Launch fire tragedy: 47 confirmed dead now, at least 58 still missing The worst launch fire in memory occurred in the early hours of December 24 on Sugandha river off Jhalakathi town as Abhijan-10 packed with more than 800 passengers was on the way to Barguna from Dhaka. Police received reports of 42 deaths in the incident. At least 80 people were injured and many others reported missing.

The confirmed death toll from Friday's deadly launch fire off the coast of Jhalakathi rose to 47 on Wednesday evening, as a man admitted with over 40 per cent burns succumbed to his injuries at the Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery. According to a list maintained by Red Crescent Bangladesh's Jhalakathi district office, at least 58 were still missing as of Wednesday. Shahinur, 45, was undergoing treatment at the intensive care unit (ICU) of the institute. He expired at around 7:10pm, said Resident Surgeon Dr SM Ayub Hossain. Earlier in the day, the toll reached 46 with the recovery of two more bodies from the River Sugandha. The bodies of the unidentified people were fished out by firefighters from Charkathi of the estuary of the River Sugandha-Bishkhali in the district around 9am, said Md Shafique, deputy assistant director of the district fire service. The deceased were a man aged about 42 and a woman aged around 32, according to the Jhalakathi Fire Service and Civil Defence. Both the bodies were partially burned, said Shafique. Coast Guard members and firefighters continued their search operation in the river for the sixth day in a row. On Tuesday, the police control room set up at the launch terminal provided information about 41 missing passengers, said Md Salauddin, a sub-inspector at Jhalakathi Sadar Police Station. Meanwhile, an FIR was lodged at Jhalakathi Police Station Monday night, following a complaint from the victims' side, accusing eight people, including launch co-owner Hamjalal Sheikh, for the tragedy. Monir Hossain, a resident of Dhaka's Bakhsnagar area, had filed the complaint as four of his family members – Taslima Akter, 30, Sumaia Aktar Mim, 12, Suborna Aktar Tania, 8, and Zunayed Islam Bayezid – remained missing. Monday, the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested owner Hamjalal in connection with the deadly fire on board the launch, MV Avijan-10. His arrest followed the Dhaka Marine Court's warrants for the arrest of four owners and four staffers of the launch in a case filed by the Department of Shipping. Read: Writ on launch fire: Govt. must explain why the fire could not be prevented The accused are four owners of Messers Al Araf and Company, the firm operating the launch – Md Hamjalal Sheikh, Md Shamim Ahmed, Md Rasel Ahmed, and Ferdous Hasan Rabby – and master in-charge of Avijan-10 Md Riaz Sikder, driver in-charge Masum Billah, second master Khalilur Rahman, and second driver Abul Kalam. The blaze broke out around 3am 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 accident climbed to 42 Monday morning. Besides, over 70 people suffered injuries, and many of them are currently undergoing treatment at different hospitals.

The High Court on Tuesday directed all the probe committees formed to investigate the fire incident in Avijan-10 launch fire to submit reports within next 30 days.  It also sought the lists of those died and injured in the incident  and asked the District Commissioners concerned to consider the applications seeking fund for treatment of the injured ones.  The HC bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Md Mostafizur Rahman passed the order after hearing on two writ petitions filed in this regard.  Read: Launch tragedy: Death toll climbs to 44 The court also asked the authorities concerned to submit fitness documents of all the vessels within 90 days.  The court also issued a rule asking the authorities concerned to explain as to why their inactivity to prevent launch accidents should  not be announced illegal.  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 and others involved were made respondents to the rule. On December 27, Supreme Court lawyer Soumitra Sardar filed a writ petition with the High Court which 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. On December 26, another Supreme Court lawyer Advocate Eunus Ali Akond filed a writ petition with the HC seeking its directives on the authorities concerned to ensure immediate payment of Tk. 10 lakh for the families of the dead and Tk 5 lakh for the injured in the launch fire. Read: Writ on launch fire: Govt. must explain why the fire could not be prevented 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 44 on Tuesday. Besides, over 81 people suffered injuries and many of them are undergoing treatment at different hospitals.

The death toll from Friday's deadly launch fire off the coast of Jhalakathi rose to 44, with the recovery of two more bodies from the Sugandha River on Tuesday. The bodies of the unidentified people were fished out by firefighters from the waters adjacent to the Jhalakathi launch terminal at Shachilapur in the district, said Shafiq, deputy assistant director of the district fire service. The deceased were a boy aged around 12 and a man aged around 32, according to the Jhalakathi Fire Service and Civil Defence. The man’s face was burnt beyond recognition and he was wearing an off-white sweater and jeans, said Shafiq. "The body has been sent for an autopsy." Also read: Launch fire: CID collects DNA samples of missing passenger families in Barguna Meanwhile, Coast Guard members and firefighters continued their search operation in the Sugandha river for the fifth day in a row.

Criminal Investigation Department (CID)of police in Barguna on Monday started collecting DNA samples from families of missing passengers of MV Avijan-10 to identify the unclaimed bodies. Earlier on Sunday, the district administration urged the family members looking for their missing relatives to submit their samples to identify the 23 unclaimed bodies that were buried in Potkakhali mass graveyard in the Sadar upazila on Saturday. “We have collected 35 samples today at Barguna General Hospital and we will continue the collection if more people come to claim their missing relatives”, said Robiul Islam, DNA tester, Forensic DNA Laboratory CID, Dhaka. Also read: Launch fire tragedy: Number of missing remains uncertain on 3rd day of search A five member team is currently collecting the samples in Barguna, he said. “We will be able to announce the results at least after a month of collecting the samples, He said. However, the anxious families of the missing passengers complained the sample collection started at 4 pm six hours past the announced time. A case filed with Barguna Chief Judicial Magistrate Court against the owner of MV Avijan-10 Hamjalal Sheikh and 24 others in connection with the deadly fire in the launch has been lodged as a First Information Report on Monday, said Shahidul Islam Milon, inspector (Investigation) of Barguna police station. The investigation in the case has already started, he said. 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. Also read: Launch fire: Death toll climbs to 42 However, the exact number of passengers traveling by the launch and the missing passengers is yet to be known. Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) have arrested Hamjalal Sheikh, one of the owners of launch MV ‘Avijan-10’ on Monday from Keraniganj, in connection with the tragedy in the launch.