The rights based coastal organisations Sunday put forward 10-point demand, including that of taking punitive actions against the officials involved in issuing approval to faulty vessels, in a bid to prevent waterways accidents.
Their other demands include decentralisation of licence and design approval processes, strengthening the monitoring system, deploying enough police personnel to the Marine Magistrate's Court, ensuring employment of experienced launch drivers and making laws for ensuring compensation for the vessel-accident victims and their families.
Some 16 rights based coastal organiasations jointly placed the demands at a press conference titled 'Stop unapproved vessels: Decentralise approval and monitoring system of the vessels' at National Press Club in the capital.
They also demanded that naval architects be appointed for designing vessels, and a database for all kinds of vessels operating in the country be developed immediately.
The 16 rights organisations are Akash, Anwesha, Arpan, CDP, DOCAP, Graus, NBS, PRAN, Prantojon, PULS Bangladesh, Royal Bengal Foundation, Shapla Phool, SDO, Udayan Bangladesh, Unnayan Dhara Trust and COAST Trust.
They have identified three reasons behind capsize of launches or vessels. The reasons are faulty water transports, lack of maintenance of these transports and faulty operation of sailors.
Mujibul Haque Munir of COAST Trust said: "Both of the two vessels that capsized recently had faulty design and were not appropriate for the current condition of the water routes."
The measurement of MV Miraj was 35.67 metres in length, 7.03 metres in width and 1.9 metres in 'depth'. The depth should have been at least 3 metres, according to its length. It was also evident that the motor launch was carrying much more passengers than its capacity.
He said the approved capacity of this vessel was 202 persons, while it was carrying 365 passengers according to its register. The authorities had no preparation for the stormy season of May-June.
Around 35 per cent of the total passengers in the country travel on waterways, and 70 per cent of goods are transported through this mode and 90 per cent of oil products are transported by rivers, according to the data of Department of Shipping.
After independence in 1971, around 20,000 cases have been filed for waterways accidents, but only 200 were resolved.
Aminur Rasul Babul of Unnayan Dhara Trust said strong legal proceedings should be in place against corrupt officials, and naval architects should be appointed for designing the vessels.
He added, "We should have a proper database for all kinds and numbers of vessels operating in the country immediately. There is a passengers' welfare fund at the jetties having no transparency.
Rezaul Karim Chowdhury of COAST Trust said, "The continuous launch capsize accidents are occurring only due to some corrupted officials. They have centralised the approval and monitoring systems of the vessels only to ensure their illegal income."
"The vessel owners are not sued as they are involved with the ruling party. To salvage the waterways of the country and to save the people, the sector must be made free of political influences."
He also said, "We should protect our waterways for our own interest, as the donors have no interest in it. They only take care of the road transportation to increase their vehicles' market."
Apart from those mentioned earlier, the other demands placed at the press conference are bringing the faulty launch builders and their designers to book; stopping unfit vessels immediately; seizing faulty and risky launches, and handing them over to the relevant agencies; registering passengers before a launch starts journey; deploying additional inspectors and police in the jetties before and after Eid and Puja festivals; and ensuring coordination among all agencies involved in the waterways.
Aminur Rasul Babul of Unnayan Dhara Trust moderated the press conference, while Mr Munir of COAST Trust presented the keynote paper.
