The death toll from Sunday's launch capsize in the River Padma rose to 48 as more bodies were retrieved from inside the sunken vessel.UNB reports divers recovered 31 bodies out of 48 from the river near the spot from 3 pm to 8:30pm, said Shefatul Islam, additional deputy commissioner (revenue) of Manikganj, from a control room set up at Paturia ghat.
Meanwhile, local administration handed over 13 bodies to their family members.
Launch ‘MV Mostafa’ with about 200 passengers on board capsized in the mid river at about 11:45am as fertilizer-laden cargo ‘Nargis-1’, hit it while heading towards Daulatdia ferry ghat from Paturia, said Paturia river police outpost in-charge Abdul Muktadir.
After the accident, Fire Brigade and Civil Defence divers rushed to the scene, and with the help of local people rescued 45 passengers. Some passengers managed to swim ashore while many are still missing.
Meanwhile, Rajbari and Manikganj district administrations have opened separate control rooms for receiving information about the missing persons.
Earlier, local people and two firefighting units from Manikganj sadar and Ghior upazila rescued a six-month-old baby girl from inside the sunken launch and took her to Uthali Upazila Health Complex where doctors declared her dead.
The rescuers also retrieved the bodies of six other people, including four women, from the sunken launch.Three of the deceased were identified as Shetu, a six-month-old baby girl and daughter of Faruk Hossain of Goalanda, Laily Begum,75, of Sreepur upazila of Magura and Imran,8, hailing from Daulatpur.
Shibaloy Upazila Health Complex authority has opened a medical centre at Paturia ghat for providing treatment to the injured.
Shipping Minister Shahjahan Khan visited the spot. The minister announced that Tk 1.05 lakh would be given to each of the deceased family on behalf of the ministry.
Besides, Deputy Commissioner of the district Rashida Ferdous said an amount of Tk 20,000 will be given to each family of the victims on behalf of the district administration.
Rajbari DC M Rafiqul Islam and Superintendent of Police Taptun Nasrin rushed to the scene.
The Mercantile Marine Department under the Shipping Ministry on Sunday formed a three-member probe body over the MV Mostafa capsize on Paturia- Daulatdia river route on Sunday.
The committee members are servitor of department Capt Shajahan (convener), special officer (marine safety) Mainuddin Hasan and chief inspector M Shafiqur Rahman.
The launch, ‘MV Mostafa’, sank around 11:45 am after it was hit by fertiliser-laden cargo vessel, ‘Nargis-1’, while it was heading towards Daulatdia ferry ghat from Paturia ghat.
The probe body was asked to submit its report to the director general of the Mercantile Marine Department within next 15 working days.
A committee earlier formed by the Shipping Ministry to probe river route accidents will also probe the launch capsize.
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