Launch mishaps appear to be a routine affair in the country. Immediate steps are needed to stop avoidable sinking of passenger and cargo vessels. The government needs to set up a launch certification authority in line with Lloyds and American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) to prevent mishaps in the waterways.
Initially, say for a period of first five years after formation, such an authority may be headed by experts like the President of the Society of Master Mariners, Bangladesh.
Our local insurance companies should be involved in setting up such a registering and insuring authority. All passenger or cargo launches plying in our waterways must be registered by this authority and must be insured on the basis of its passenger or cargo capacities without which they should not be allowed to commercially ply in our waterways. One original copy of the combined registration and insurance certificate may be issued, say in three copies, periodically once in every three years. One copy of the current valid certificate must be prominently displayed on board the launch without which it will not be permitted to ply commercially. This will state the minimum number of crew and the total maximum number of passengers and cargo allowed. It should also mention the date for next inspection and certificate renewal.
The weight regulation could be similar in line, as found in air travel. Way back in 1950s, the then Orient Airways used to ply from Dhaka; every passenger and all baggages had to be weighed before boarding the aircraft to stop overloading. Later only checked baggage and standard weight for passengers were calculated. This is in practice even now although aircraft engines are designed with excess power to meet uncalled-for weather or other such hazards.
Some of the issues related to this that come readily to mind are:
1. The maximum safe loading line, a three- inch wide and in weather-proof paint, in 'Vermilion Red' colour, should be prominently painted all round the hull of the launch and under no circumstances the vessel can be loaded or permitted to ply if this is not visible through the naked eye over the water level. Violation of this basic safety rule should incur a hefty fine, say Taka one million at the minimum. In case of passenger launch, it will be both fine and minimum three years' prison sentence for both the launch owner and the 'Sareng', who must have appropriate and valid certificate of competency.
2. When the weather is foul or stormy, the launch should immediately come to the river bank and all passengers must disembark. The vessel must have a clock in the Master's bridge cabin for navigation and he must have clear forward visibility and no passenger or cargo should be allowed in front or beside this cabin so that the 'Master' has a clear view of the passage ahead.
These and other necessary safety measures must be ensured by the proposed safety and registration authorities. Such measures to ensure the safety of public transport launches are a must for all public river transport vessels in Bangladesh.
The regulation may be similar, though not so stringent for private boats and similar other smaller private and personally owned river transport water-borne craft having a maximum capacity of six persons at most. The Ministry of Shipping and the IWTA must set this up on a priority basis on or before end December 2014, at the latest to ensure safe plying of inland water transport vessels in Bangladesh waterways.
sam@dhakacom.com
Preventing launch disasters
S A Mansoor | Published: September 09, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00
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